If we are to be effective in helping young people avoid drug problems we need to ensure that effective universal services are provided and that we focus on:

• Drug Education
• Advice and Information
• Prevention through access to core services
• Social inclusion programmes (Positive Futures)

It is also essential that the most vulnerable young people are targeted, including:

• children of problem drug users
• persistent truants and school excludees
• looked after children and young people leaving home
• young people in contact with the criminal justice system
• homeless young people
• young people abused through prostitution, or at risk of sexual exploitation and
• teenage parents and young people not in education, employment or training.

This means not only developing specialist drug provision, but ensuring that children and young people’s services are fully committed to identifying substance misuse and intervening, when appropriate. In this way these problems can be addressed before they become acute.

We are seeking young peoples', service users', and families' views and thoughts on their experience of Young Peoples' services in Suffolk, and would value their input into service developement. If you are interested in providing feeback or suggestions to the DAAT on these issues, please contact Sharon Jarrett (see contacts page for email and telephone details).