Call to target primary schools with drug awareness campaign

Primary school pupils should be targeted in a drugs and alcohol awareness and prevention campaign, it was claimed today.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) said drink and drugs are now a fact of life for children nationwide, with all young people likely to come in contact with drugs at some point during their childhood.

The children's charity is currently working with teenagers, some as young as 13 years, whose drug and alcohol abuse has had a devastating impact on them and their families.

Through its mentoring and counselling service, 4me, it is reaching out to those most likely to develop a dependency, young people suffering from low self-esteem and who are socially isolated within their communities.

One of the services main targets is to prevent early school leaving.

"It is now clear that all children are likely to come in contact with drugs at some point throughout their childhood," said Chanelle Carlin, ISPCC east regional manager.

"The ISPCC, while not wishing to alarm parents, believes that drugs and alcohol are now a fact of life for all children in Ireland today.

"Furthermore, the ISPCC believes that drug and alcohol awareness and prevention needs to be introduced as an integrated component of both the educational system, and of parenting practice in general, through the introduction of a life skills programme at primary school level."

Latest figures reveal that more than 3,000 teenagers participated in group and workshop 4me programmes in 2005, based on drug and alcohol awareness, self-esteem building, bullying, life skills or personal development programmes.

A further 62 engaged in its one-to-one service, each having an average of 24 individual sessions of therapeutic counselling over a minimum period of six months within his or her own home.

And almost 70 young people joined its mentoring service, which provides young people with both a positive role model and an opportunity to engage in new activities.

"The ISPCC believes that the 4me service has a very important role to play in helping young people develop positive self-esteem and build psychological resilience," continued Ms Carlin.

"4me works to ensure that young people who are excluded from mainstream society are given the necessary supports to enable them to overcome their difficulties and participate actively and constructively in the main social structures impacting on their lives."

The organisation also claims the lack of a 24-hour service for children is impacting on the support available to youngsters.

"It is unacceptable that the lead statutory agency responsible for the protection of children in this state remains a 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday operation," added Ms Carlin.

"Comprehensive support services are especially necessary for young people who may be using drugs and alcohol, as the need to access such services is usually greatest in the evenings, during the night and the weekends."

The 4me service operates nationally from eight centres in Dublin, Drogheda, Monaghan, Castlebar, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Wexford.