Smoking and Alcohol

Smoking is illegal in all enclosed public places and workplaces. This includes all East Riding of Yorkshire Council buildings and grounds including children’s homes. Every effort should be made to discourage smoking by children/young people who reside at the homes.

The home will provide children and young people with advice and support as necessary on good health. This information should supplement that provided by any educational setting, and should cover smoking and alcohol.

It is an offence for shops to sell cigarettes and tobacco product to under 18s or for an adult to buy cigarettes or tobacco products for them. Staff are not permitted to purchase or give cigarettes / e-cigarettes, tobacco, or the materials for making or lighting cigarettes or tobacco to children.

Some young people will already smoke before they become looked after. In working with this group of young people, staff will need tact, patience and creativity.

Addiction to nicotine and the withdrawal symptoms should not be underestimated or trivialised and any young person wishing to give up the habit should receive maximum support from all agencies.

Staff and visitors are not permitted to smoke in front of children.

All homes should be alcohol free zones; alcohol should not be brought or kept on the premises.

Alcohol is part of our culture and most young people at some stage will experiment with drinking alcohol. It is fair to say that at some point most children will push the boundary line and will get 'drunk'. Whilst not condoning this, staff have to be sensitive to the difference between youthful experimentation and reliance / addiction.

Health promotion should address the effects of alcohol and provide the children with an informed view on the subject. Good role modelling by staff is required when educating the young people regarding the use and misuse of alcohol, staff should be mindful when sharing information regarding their own personal consumption of alcohol in their private lives.

When any child/young person is known to misuse alcohol, staff should consult with the specialist services and actively support and encourage the child/young person to become involved in rehabilitation;

Staff should ensure that information relating to alcohol misuse is readily available within the Home and that the issue of alcohol misuse should be dealt with as a normal part of the work undertaken with children/young people, including regular discussion at Residents' and Staff Meetings.

Children under 18 are not allowed to purchase or consume alcohol.

If staff are concerned that a child/young person has been drinking alcohol, this should be raised with the home’s manager and the child’s social worker as required. Where it becomes evident, or it is suspected, that a child or young person has been drinking alcohol, the most appropriate response will vary dependent on how much the young person has had to drink or how it has effected them. These options are outlined below:

• Offering fluids - water, squash;
• Periodic monitoring and checks by staff - 10 minutes, 30 minutes, hourly, etc.
• Contacting health professionals for advice e.g. G.P.;
• Hospitalisation for day patient or overnight stay if appropriate, etc.

See Alcohol, Young People and the Law (GOV.UK).

Staff are not permitted to consume alcohol whilst on duty and should not arrive at work under the influence of alcohol. If this happens the relevant procedures will be followed.