Children and Young People

Youth Alcohol Action Plan

At the end of 2008 the government launched The Youth Alcohol Action Plan (YAAP) It is jointly published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Home Office and the Department of Health. It builds on last year's updated alcohol strategy, Safe. Sensible. Social.

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said:
"Tougher enforcement powers are needed to tackle under-age binge drinking but enforcement measures alone are not the solution. We need a culture change about drinking with everyone from parents, the alcohol industry and young people all taking more responsibility.

See the full YAAP press release including a summary of the facts at DCSF.

• Youth Alcohol Action Plan
  The Government made a commitment in the Children's Plan, published in December 2007, to look at what more might be done to reduce excessive drinking by children and young people under the age of 18....
• Use of Alcohol among Children and Young People: Final Report (DCSF and Define Research & Insight 2008)
  Research Report detailing the findings of the qualitative research carried out by Define(in 2008) which aims to provide insights into the influences and motivations for alcohol consumption in young pe...

Youth Alcohol Consultation Summary of Responses

The consultation on guidance by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to seek the views of young people, carers, parents and other interested parties has now closed.The announcement by the Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson on the 29^th January that children aged under 15 should not be given alcohol launches the 3 month consultation on children young people and alcohol. The summary of responses can be viewed below.

The guidance was launched in response to calls from parents for clear messages on the health effects and risks of young people drinking alcohol. View the Chief Medical Officer's speech via podcast at the BBC

• CMO's Five point plan for alcohol-free childhood

• Consultation on Children Young People and Alcohol- Summary of Responses
  This report provides a summary to the DCSF's recent consultation launched as aprt of the youth alcohol action plan. The summary provides details of the responses and largely supports the recommendations...

Youth Treatment Services

The National Treatment Agency's Report on specialist substance misuse services provides the most comprehensive picture of drug and alcohol treatment for young people in England.

• NTA Young Peoples Report
  Reliable statistics on young people under 18 who receive specialist support for drug and alcohol misuse have been scarce. To address this, the National Treatment Agency (NTA) started recording data in...

Alcohol Industry and Marketing

• Under the Influence -The damaging effect of alcohol marketing on Young People
  This report looks at the health burden of alcohol consumption and how this has been driven by marketing campaigns with the UK alcohol industry spending approximately £800m annually. It looks at the...

Young people and news media

As part of a pilot study into methods for addressing these questions, newspaper and television coverage of alcohol-related stories were analysed to identify how those stories were contextualised, which sources were quoted andwhat images accompanied alcohol-related news stories.

• Young people, alcohol and the news
  There is only limited research into either how news reporting frames stories about or whether this reflects the experiences of young drinkers. As part of a pilot study into methods for addressing these...

Young people learning about alcohol

What influences how children and young people behave towards alcohol? Two linked research reviews examine how young people acquire their knowledge, attitudes, expectations and intentions about alcohol and what interventions work best to prevent excessive use of alcohol.

• Children, young people and alcohol: how they learn and how to prevent excessive use
  What influences how children and young people behave towards alcohol? Two linked research reviews examine how young people acquire their knowledge, attitudes, expectations and intentions about alcohol...

Other Reports

• Young People and Alcohol - Meanings, Practices and Contexts
  The report, which focuses on the use of alcohol among young people - particularly those aged under 18 years, and those aged 18-24 who drink in excess, is accompanied by three literature reviews - risk...
• Contributions of Alcohol Use to Teenage Pregnancy -An initial examination of geographical and evidence based associations
  Presents the findings from data and evidence research into the relationship between alcohol and sexual activity. The report provides guidance on next steps. Some of the key findings include: While...
• Alcohol prevention programmes literature review by Joseph Rowntree Foundation
  A review of literature on programmes concerning young people's excessive use of Alcohol