Drugs by Neville Lovett Community School

THE NEVILLE LOVETT COMMUNITY SCHOOL

POLICY ON THE USE AND MISUSE OF DRUGS AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES 1.

Statement of Policy

Neville Lovett Community School condones neither the misuse of drugs including alcohol or solvents by members of the school nor the illegal supply of these substances. Neville Lovett Community School is committed to the health and safety of all users of its site and will take action to safeguard their well being. Neville Lovett Community School acknowledges the importance of its pastoral role in the welfare of young people, and through the general ethos of the school, will seek to persuade pupils in need of support to come forward. The Hampshire Youth Service Policy is embraced by this Statement. 2.

Who has Written the Policy

The policy has been written by representatives of the Governing Body, the Home School Association, Senior Management Team, Community Staff and the Youth Service. 3.

Policy Aim

Our aim is for the Neville Lovett Community School to remain a safe environment, free from the illegal use of drugs and controlled substances. In pursuit of this aim, we believe and support the following educational objectives in respect of substance use and misuse. i)

to provide pupils with accurate information about substances

ii)

to encourage an understanding for those experiencing or likely to experience substance use

iii)

to widen understanding about related health and social issues

iv)

to increase understanding about the implications and possible consequences of use and misuse

v) vi)

to seek to minimise the risks that users and potential users face to enable young people to identify sources of appropriate personal support

In respect of the pupils of Neville Lovett Community School these objectives will be fulfilled through aspects of their experiences in the taught curriculum, the informal curriculum and through opportunities for extra-curricular activities. We deliver the taught curriculum mainly through PSHE, but other opportunities to reinforce learning will occur in other parts of the teaching programme including tutor time. Members of the local Community, Youth and Community Groups, Adult Classes all others using the Centre will be encouraged to take opportunities to reinforce our policy aim.

The Role of Outside Agencies

Neville Lovett Community School actively co-operates with other agencies such as Community Police, Social Services, LEA and Health and Drug Agencies to deliver its commitment to Drugs Education and to deal with incidents of drug or substance use and misuse. However, Neville Lovett Community School recognises that the prime role of the Police is to enforce the law and not to manage drug-related incidents in schools or find solutions to young people’s drug use. 5.

How Parents and Governors are involved

The Headteacher takes overall responsibility for the policy and its implementation, for liaison with the Governing Body, Youth Service and Community staff, parents, LEA and appropriate outside agencies. The PSHE Coordinator will have general responsibility for handling the daily implementation of this policy and will ensure that all staff dealing with substance abuse issues are adequately supported and trained. Neville Lovett Community School encourages parental involvement and periodically provides evening opportunities to share with parents the philosophy and aims of the drugs and substance policy and to provide up to date information. 6.

The Youth Service

Details of Youth Service responsibilities are set out in the Hampshire Youth Service Policy. 7.

Review and Evaluation

The Governors will be responsible for reconvening a representative group, as described in 2 above, in order that the policy may be reviewed and evaluated annually to identify whether or not the aim is being met. 8.

The School

The following procedures apply during the school day and beyond, where pupils are engaged in activities, trips or visits organised by the school, on or off the school premises. Procedures may apply to pupils travelling to and from the school in situations where it is appropriate for the school to assume responsibility. Accordingly, where the term ‘the school’ is used in Section 9 and Appendices A and B, it should be taken to include all the circumstances described in this section. 9.

Action

Action to be taken should instances involving drug or substance misuse or supply to or by pupils on the premises are explained in Appendix A. Guidance for staff is explained in Appendix B.

Reviewed June 2003

Signed: ………………………………………………………. Elizabeth Webb, Chairman of Governors

Date: ……………………

APPENDIX A

Instances involving the abuse of drugs or controlled substances or their supply on the premises are immediately drawn to the attention of the Senior Management Team. Parents will be informed by the Headteacher at the earliest opportunity of the incident and action taken to date. The school and the parents can then work together to support the young person involved, whatever the level of the school’s disciplinary response. If the school becomes aware of a young person using or supplying substances off the premises, the Headteacher will inform the parents. If the school has evidence that controlled substances are being supplied to pupils on the premises, details regarding those involved as well as as much information as possible, will be passed to the Community Police Officer. The school will consider each substance incident individually and recognises that a variety of responses will be necessary to deal with incidents. The School will consider very carefully the implications of any action it may take. It seeks to balance the interests of the pupils involved, the other school members and the local community. Permanent exclusion is the most likely outcome for any pupils using or supplying controlled substances whilst at school. This is seen as an important statement to the pupil body that such behaviour will not be tolerated. Regarding the welfare of staff, the School will follow the County Council Policy on Drug and Alcohol Misuse as published in the Manual of Personnel Practice. The Headteacher will take responsibility for liaison with the media. As the issue of substance misuse is an emotive one, and is likely to generate interest from the local and national media, the school will take appropriate advice and guidance from the LEA Press Office and Legal department to ensure that any reporting of incidents remains in the best interests of the young people, their families and the school. In such circumstances the LEA would be informed as soon as possible.

APPENDIX B Guidance for School Staff Where a young person discloses drug or substance misuse on the premises, staff will inform a member of the Senior Management Team and where appropriate, participate in the planning of subsequent action as described above. Where a young person discloses substance misuse off the premises, the staff member will use his or her discretion to decide on appropriate action, in consultation with the Deputy Head (Pastoral and Personnel).

Where staff discover substances which are suspected to be harmful, illegal or deserving of investigation, they should note the two circumstances in which substances may be removed: from either a place or a person (a)

place If possible, remove the substance from where it was discovered in the presence of a witness. If this is not possible, do not leave the substance there while you enlist the support of a colleague or pupil as a witness. Continue with the procedure below.

(b)

person Pupil co-operation is absolutely necessary when receiving or retrieving substances. If possible, a suspicious substance needs to be removed from a pupil’s possession. It can be taken out of a school bag but a pupil’s person must not be searched. The pupil should be closely observed and monitored until the Police arrive (see attached).

The following guidelines should be observed at all times. 1.

Remove the substance and record the time, place and circumstance when the substance came into your possession.

Do not investigate the nature of the substance, but do record its approximate size and appearance.

When possible, have the recordings countersigned by a witness.

Take the substance immediately to a member of the Senior Management Team. Do not keep the substance on your person or in a place of safe keeping; to do so may place you at risk.

In the presence of the Head or one of his deputies, place the substance in a suitable sealed container. He or she should sign and date the package. An official report should be completed, recording the time, date and circumstances of the findings.

The Headteacher can choose to arrange for the Police to remove the substance from the premises or may choose to dispose of it in an appropriate way.

In the event of a discovery of any equipment associated with substance use, especially needles and syringes, pupils should not be allowed to handle such items. All equipment found must be handled by adults with utmost care. The Headteacher must ensure that materials are placed in a secure and rigid container to await collection by the appropriate service.

APPENDIX C

Instances involving the abuse of controlled substances or their supply on the premises are immediately drawn to the attention of the Community Education Manager/Deputy/Youth worker who will inform the Headteacher. If the Centre has evidence that controlled substances are being supplied to Users on the premises, details regarding those involved as well as as much information as possible, will be passed to the Community Police Officer. The Community Manager/Committee will consider each substance incident individually and recognises that a variety of responses will be necessary to deal with incidents. The Centre will consider very carefully the implications of any action it may take. It seeks to balance the interests of people involved, other Centre members and the local community. The position regarding the legal consumption of alcohol on the premises is set out in the Hire Contract. Regarding the welfare of staff, the Centre will follow the County Council/Fareham College policy on Drug and Alcohol Misuse as published in the Manual of Personnel Practice. The Headteacher will take responsibility for liaison with the media.

APPENDIX D GUIDANCE TO HEADS MANAGING DRUG RELATED INCIDENTS This article by Shane Bennett an Independent Drug Training Consultant with responsibilities to train teaching staff on managing incidents and implementing drug education, outlines acceptable procedures for dealing with a drug or solvent abuse situation in a school. Introduction Heads should be aware that section 62 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 has brought changes to the case disposal options available to the police. If there is evidence of a crime such as a pupil found with a drug they must be arrested, the police are no longer able to give words of advise or informal warnings. The pupil will be introduced to the Criminal Justice System resulting in the pupil obtaining a criminal record. The guidance given here does not rule out the pupil being arrested particularly if they have been involved in previous incidents though it does encourage the use of alternative strategies first. Responsibility The prime role of the police is to enforce the law and not to manage drug-related incidents in schools or find solutions to young people’s drug use. Schools have no legal obligation to involve the police and can deal with the incident internally by confiscating the drug and working in partnership with the parents and local drug agency for young people. The police should then be asked to assist in the disposal of any controlled drugs. Flushing them down the toilet, burning or throwing them in the bin contravene The Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985. Contacting the police After confiscating a drug the member of staff must contact the local police community unit or schools involvement officer informing them that they are in possession of what is suspected to be a controlled drug. The defence in law is that they have taken possession of a controlled drug to prevent a person from committing a criminal offence. The member of staff will have then taken steps to delivery it to somebody licensed to take custody of it at the earliest opportunity. There is no legal obligation to inform the police of the identify of the pupil, though it would be inappropriate to withhold his or her identity if the drug is class “A” or the motive was drug trafficking. If the identity of the drug is unclear, or the school is unsure whether the amount constitutes possession with intent to supply, the police officer may be asked to give an educated opinion on collection of the drug from the school. Under no circumstances should anybody taste a drug to ascertain its identify. Handling illegal substances The following advice on handling suspected illegal substances is based on practice adopted in one London borough. The police in this borough will issue schools with a police evidence bag. To use the bag it is turned inside out and the drug is grasped through the bag while the bag is turned outside in. This prevents skin contact with the drug and enables the drug to be sealed in the bag to prevent allegations of staff 6

tampering with the contents. The details of contents, date and witness are recorded on the outside of the bag. The school should use its powers to challenge the attitude of the pupil ensuring that the seriousness of breaking the law is emphasised. Pupil co-operation A pupil will need to co-operate for the school to be able to respond in this manner. Pupil co-operation should be based on the fact that a pupil voluntarily produces the drug/s, advising them what they believe the drug to be or turns out their pockets and the school are assured that all the drugs involved have been retrieved. Pupils should not be forced to give the identity of their supplier. Generally a pupil will not give this information through fear of reprisal rather than misguided loyalty. However, if after the importance of co-operating has been stressed a pupil does not do so the police should be called. The pupil should be observed whilst awaiting police arrival to prevent them disposing of any evidence. Teachers must not search a pupil’s pockets as this could constitute an assault even if the pupil consents. The school can search a pupil’s desk or locker without their consent or a pupil’s bag with their consent. Any search should be conducted in the presence of a staff witness. Helping the pupil Heads should then use all the available information to devise the appropriate response that endeavours to address the pupil’s behaviour and avoid exclusion wherever possible. This guidance is derived from the document The Right Responses Managing and Making Policy for Drug Related Incidents in Schools (SCODA 1999) commissioned by the DfES. The document also contains a photocopiable record form which should be used to record any drug related situation. Managing solvent misuse Incidents of solvent misuse can result in violence or pupil fatalities. Members of staff have been left in risky situations by responding to incident in accordance with advice that has been available in the past. Pupils found to be intoxicated from solvents have been left with the school nurse to recover until the parents arrived to collect them from school. Schools are urged to change the way that they deal with an incident of solvent misuse. It is unlikely that schools would allow a pupil to use products containing solvents unsupervised but it has been known for a pupil to steal them from a lesson or bring them to school. Drug education would hopefully address this situation but there are always likely to be situations where young people do not think through the consequences of their actions. Whatever the reason for experimentation solvents once taken are very intoxicating – often resulting in a person using much more than they intended. Types of misuse Solvents tend to be abused in three different ways (the effects are the same although they may vary in severity): • • •

viscous liquids (eg glues) are normally sniffed from bags liquids (eg cleaning fluids or correction fluid thinners) are sniffed straight from the bottle or sleeve aerosols are used by clenching the plastic nozzle between the teeth and depressing the can after the top has been removed.

Health effects Once a solvent is inhaled it is taken through the lungs into the blood stream where it then travels to the brain. The brain and central nervous system are thus sedated slowing down the respiratory and 7

circulatory system. This combined with the solvent contaminating the oxygen supply is likely to lead to a person losing consciousness if it continues for any length of time. This often causes a person to vomit, therefore they need to be put into the recovery position to avoid choking and an ambulance should be called. Dependent on which method is used to administer the solvent other complications may occur which are not as easily controlled. Any solvent can cause the oesophagus to swell which will prevent oxygen getting to the lungs and, particularly if aerosols have been used, the lungs can be filled with freezing cold liquids: both situations cause suffocation. In addition to these problems a person could experience cardiac arrest (heart failure) even if they do not have a history of heart problems. The risk of cardiac arrest is significantly increased if the person becomes anxious. The intoxicated person’s judgement will be dramatically impaired making it very likely that they will become aggressive or violent. Therefore do not conduct any disciplinary interview at this point. Medical conditions such as epilepsy or asthma can also be triggered several hours after the event. Social Services If a pupil has used a solvent it would not necessarily be considered a child protection issue by Social Services but they should be informed. If a young person has used a solvent this could be an indication of problems that Social Services need to be or are aware of, or that they have escalated or resurfaced. Solvent use may be a coping strategy for dealing with bullying or difficulties at home. Any of these factors will require specialist intervention from a drugs or counselling agency. Parents should be involved in a planning meeting to devise solutions and if they are not willing to treat the situation seriously it could necessitate Social Services becoming involved in a Child In Need case. Action plan If a pupil is known or suspected to be intoxicated the following first aid procedures should be followed. The person conducting the procedures should assess and manage the risks to themselves and others in addition to the risk for the pupil. 1.

Send for the designated first aider and an ambulance. (Some schools operate a system where a disk is taken to reception by a pupil where they will go to the front of any queue and give it to a person who is aware that this implies a medical emergency in the room identified).

Keep the pupil warm and quiet and under observation trying to avoid making them sit or stand.

Do not give anything by mouth and do not induce vomiting.

Collect any drug or vomit samples and give them for medical analysis when the ambulance arrives. Involve the School Drug-ordinator at the earliest opportunity where they should inform parents and conduct any subsequent assessments.

5. 6.

If the pupil is unconscious they should be placed in the recovery position and kept warm while an ambulance and designated first aider are called.

Record the details of the incident using a copy of the record form from the Right Responses (SCODA 1999) and update as necessary.