Under Age Drinking
This is a message sent via Neighbourhood Alert. This information has been sent on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police
Message sent by
Antony Crofts (Police, SGT 879, East & West Bassetlaw)
Parents are being asked to be extra vigilant in relation to the whereabouts of their children, and also what they are up to when out with friends.
Recently in Bassetlaw a 13yr old female was admitted to Hospital suffering from very excessive alcohol consumption. The young girl it would appear had made use of a Social Network Site on which a “drinking party” had been arranged. That party was NOT at a property, where parents could monitor, it was quite the opposite in terms of location, being deliberately held at a remote field on the outskirts of the town where parents were unlikely to be able to monitor.
That in itself is cause for concern. The young girl was picked up by ambulance in an unconscious state and subsequently had to be placed on a ventilator at hospital, in effect on a life support machine. Thankfully she has pulled through and has spent time on the Intensive Care Unit.
The circumstances may shock some. I make no apologies for that.
The fact is that Parents need to ensure that they not only monitor their children’s whereabouts, but also the friends they are mixing with and the locations they are visiting, together with their actions and what they are up to at those locations.
One of the best ways to address the issue of kids and alcohol is to build relationships with the parents of your children’s friends. This provides an immediate network of support, information and advice and a forum to discuss the issues. More importantly, it allows parents to develop a set of ground rules as a group – ensuring your child and their friends are receiving consistent messages about what’s okay and what’s not when it comes to alcohol. I’m not saying this will always be easy.
I’d also encourage parents, where possible, to agree on what they will do when it comes to alcohol out of the home – house parties, for example. Will alcohol be allowed? Will there be enough soft drinks? How will these rules be enforced?
Explain to your kids that alcohol is only for adults and that there is a sociable side to alcohol, but if you drink too much there can be bad consequences for your health and safety.
If you know your child is drinking, make sure they’re aware of the risks and give them tips to help them stay safe. If they’re going out, find out who they are with and what they are planning to do. Agree with your children that if they ever get into a situation involving alcohol where they feel uncomfortable, they can call and get picked up, no questions asked.
Listening is important too. How many older brothers or sisters who are old enough to purchase drink are passing this on to younger brothers or sisters, or indeed friends? Allowing your child to talk and encouraging conversation may provide some detail which could be shared to good effect.
The below link provides access to a site with some excellent information regarding this subject.
http://www.drinkingandyou.com/site/pdf/parentsguide.pdf
Thankfully the circumstances described above do not occur with any obvious regularity, or do they?
I would hope that the circumstances explained in this item serve to ALERT parents to the dangers of such behaviour, and encourage Parents and their young to act in a responsible manner. Hopefully by doing so, such circumstances can be reduced further.
Sgt 879 Crofts
Harworth Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant.
National number 101 ext 8077360
External number 01159 670999 ext 8077360