The findings from this year’s Tellus2 survey are out and there’s a fair amount of media attention.
Nearly half of all 10 to 15-year-olds in England have tried alcohol, a survey for schools’ inspectors suggests.
One in seven 12 to 15-year-olds has tried illegal drugs and a fifth have been drunk, the Ofsted research on lifestyle, habits and concerns shows.
The revealing portrait of 10- to 15-year-olds suggests a generation of conscientious students who are deeply concerned about their own education and skilled critics of their classes and teachers. Many do voluntary work and sports – 40% exercise more than six times a week.
But it also reveals a significant minority who are regularly taking drugs, drinking and smoking, and who want more advice on sex. Somewhere after their 13th birthday rates of substance abuse and alcohol consumption increase, but for a hard core it starts even earlier: 5% of 10- to 11-year-olds had been drunk at least once in the four weeks before they were questioned.
It also suggests children would like more advice from families and peers. When their parents are not available – or they choose not to approach them for advice – 15% deal with problems in silence rather than turning to a friend or teacher.
Among the key findings researchers found that 15% of children aged between 12 and 15 said they had experimented with illegal drugs, most often cannabis, but also heroin, cocaine, LSD and ecstasy.
Nearly half of 10 to 15-year-olds (48%) said they had consumed alcoholic drinks, with one in five claiming to have been drunk at least once in the past four weeks, while one in six 14 and 15-year-olds admitted to getting drunk at least three times in the previous four weeks.
The survey also revealed that children have mixed views about the quality of their own education. The vast majority – 79% called for more fun and interesting lessons.
Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the Children’s Society, said: “Ofsted’s survey is further evidence that too many children and young people are still facing problems in childhood.
“We need to work together as a society to deal with the problems that these young people are raising.
“For example, we can only effectively tackle the alcohol and drug misuse among young people by addressing the wider binge-drinking culture among adults.”
Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union comments on the Tellus2 survey published by Ofsted.
“Considering the pressures young people face in today’s society this survey indicates they are coping reasonably well with managing their lives.
“It shows that the majority of youngsters are happy and secure within their school environment and that they leave school hopeful about their future”.
About 15 percent of children aged between 12 and 15 said they had tried drugs, mostly cannabis.
Three percent of all children surveyed said they had used other drugs such as cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, heroin, speed or magic mushrooms.
Tim Loughton, Conservative Party spokesman on children, said: “These findings are more evidence of our broken society.”
The true scale of drug and alcohol abuse among children has been disclosed as the first large-scale Government survey showed that thousands of primary school pupils get drunk every month.
As many as one in 20 children aged 10 and 11 admitted taking part in a heavy drinking session in the past four weeks. Among 14- and 15-year-olds the numbers rose above a third – raising fresh fears over the extent of Britain’s binge drinking culture.
Alarmingly, one in 10 secondary school pupils had tried cannabis and three per cent took hard drugs, including cocaine, heroin and ecstasy.
Update
ITV News wants to know –
- Who’s to blame for the amount our children drink?
- How can such drinking be curbed?
- Do you think this survey is an accurate reflection of our children’s drinking?
- Or is it exaggerating the problem?
- What are your personal experiences of children and alcohol?
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It is unlikely to surprise many teachers or parents, but millions of schoolchildren are experimenting with drink and drugs, a major government survey confirmed yesterday.
The survey results also made it to TV New Zealand’s website.
Eric Carlin, writing as Chief Executive of Mentor UK, on his blog says:
The Ofsted report today that describes how many teenagers are misusing alcohol and other (for them) illegal drugs reinforces Mentor’s ongoing case for more and better prevention activities, starting as early as possible. This does not mean just drugs education but must include properly joined-up activities which improve young people’s aspirations and ability to resist pressure to use drugs.
