ISPCC WARNS OF SUMMER DRUGS DANGER FOR CHILDREN

The risk of drug usage by young people is higher during summer, the Irish
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has warned. The society
yesterday launched a new drugs awareness initiative based at drop-in centres
for children.

Ms Caroline O'Sullivan, the ISPCC's assistant director of services, said
surveys carried out by the organisation had repeatedly shown that young
people identified alcohol, drugs and tobacco as the greatest problems they
face.

"We would urge parents to be especially vigilant of their children over the
summer months as there are more people about and drugs become more widely
available. The children are more at risk of dabbling in drugs because they
are out of school, out of their usual structured activities and are not as
closely supervised," Ms O'Sullivan added.

European statistics showed Irish children were the youngest in Europe
attending drug-treatment centres and she said it was "very concerning" that
children under 12 were drinking alcohol. The new ISPCC drugs awareness
programme will provide resources and information to teachers, youth workers
and childcare professionals. In all, 2,728 children availed of the STEPS
drop-in centre services run by the ISPCC in 1999, according to figures
released by the society yesterday.

Children made 11,387 visits to the 13 centres around the State which allow
them direct access to information and counselling, according to Mr Paul
Gilligan, the ISPCC's chief executive. "The STEPS centres are just that - a
step. They don't deal with serious problems directly but refer them on," he
added.

The AIB has sponsored the centres for a number of years. The society is also
set to receive pounds 50,000 funding from the Department of Tourism for five
additional workers to run a drugs awareness programme over the next three
years.

Resource workers will operate an outreach programme from centres in
Limerick, Clonmel, Dublin, Wexford and Monaghan, which will adopt a
preventative approach and educate young people on the effects of drugs.

The Bride Street STEP centre in Dublin registered the highest number of
visits last year with 2,120, a 100 per cent increase on 1998. In Wexford,
where the pilot centre was established 10 years ago, 1,397 visits were
registered.

The centres are open twice a week, offering courses in personal development
and self-esteem; relationships and sexuality; first aid and babysitting.
Staff at the centres also provide counselling, help with changing schools,
child abuse prevention information and run anti-bullying campaigns.

Mr Gilligan said parents largely encouraged their children to come to the
centres and volunteers encouraged children to tell their parents when they
were attending the centre.