Drugs Policy

Introduction

The role of Blackwater Integrated College in relation to drugs issues must be seen as having two discrete focuses: prevention and protection. The responsibility for prevention is exercised through drugs education programmes.  A drug is a substance which when taken, has the effect of altering the way a person behaves, feels, sees or thinks. The legislation relating to drugs refers to "controlled" drugs. These are defined and classified in the legislation, but it is not expected that all staff in schools should be familiar with what is or is not a "controlled drug", or be able instantly to recognise them. What is important is that all staff should be able to recognise the point at which a young person becomes a danger, either to himself or herself or to others, and that there are appropriate measures in place to deal with that situation: the duty of protection.

Aims of Drugs Policy

•     To provide accurate and up-to-date information on drugs and their effects on health, and on the risks and legal aspects of drug-taking so that the young people are enabled to distinguish fact from myth;

•     To introduce opportunities to enhance the young people's self-respect, personal competence and self-esteem.

The programmes should take account of the degree to which students have had experiences with drugs. They should have clearly identified aims which reflect these experiences.

•     For those young people who are likely to have no experience of drugs, the programme should aim to maintain this position and minimise the number of young people in the school who ever engage in drugs misuse.

•     For those young people who are likely to have begun to experiment with drugs in an ad hoc and infrequent way, the programme should aim to persuade them to resist experimentation, and delay the onset of regular use.

•     For those young people who experiment regularly with drugs the programme should aim to empower them to seek help and support, to minimise the proportion of misusers, who adopt particularly dangerous forms of misuse, and to try to persuade them to stop.

Implementation of the Drugs Policy

Designated Teacher for Drugs Education is Miss D Collins. The Designated Teacher is responsible for the coordination of the school's procedures for handling incidents of suspected drugs misuse and acts as a contact point for outside agencies who may have to work with the school, or with the young person or people concerned. Students will be given access to information about the use and misuse of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and solvent abuse. This information will be conveyed through the Learning for Life and Work programmes.Where a student has been identified by the school as having experimented with illegal drugs, or as being at risk of doing so, he or she should be offered appropriate counselling and support within the school's general arrangements for the pastoral care of its students, and his or her parents should be informed. Where a student discloses to a teacher or other member of staff that he or she is taking drugs, the staff member should make it clear to the student that he or she can offer no guarantee of confidentiality.

Schools should be aware of the range of specialised agencies, support and counselling services available in their areas which may be in a position to support a student at risk. In addition, the education welfare service, local health and social services, and the local Police all have a role to play in supporting schools' efforts.

Blackwater Integrated College is committed to tackling drug misuse among young people, and any instances of possession, use or supply of illegal drugs on school premises will be regarded with the utmost seriousness. In cases where it is clear that a student is selling illegal drugs and the health and safety of other students is directly at risk, the principal may decide that a student should be suspended or excluded from the school.

Sanctions

• Suspicion of misuse: Counselling and inform parents.
• Found in possession: Counselling, inform parents and Police, possible suspension.
• Selling: Suspension/expulsion.

The Law And The Local Police

All staff should be aware of their responsibilities under the law. The local Juvenile Liaison Officer should be informed in every case where a student is found to have, or is suspected of having, controlled drugs in his or her possession, either on his or her person or in his or her belongings, or where drugs are found on the school premises.

In exceptional circumstances, the police may interview a student on school premises, with the principal's agreement. It is important that all possible efforts have been made to inform the student's parents before allowing a police interview.

When in school a member of staff becomes aware, or is told, of possible criminal activity outside school premises, it is expected that the local police should be informed, in the interests of safeguarding the health and safety of young people in the area. The police should be contacted through the school principal.