Why are these important? The government explain:
The national indicators will be the only indicators against which local authorities’ performance, alone or in partnership, will be reported to Central Government. They will therefore be the only measures against which Government can agree targets with a local authority or partnership, through Local Area Agreements (LAAs), and the only trigger for performance management by Central Government, other than concerns highlighted by the inspectorates in the Comprehensive Area Assessment or other inspection activity.
For us the key indicator 115, substance misuse by young people.
Here’s what they say:
Rationale:
To measure progress in reducing the proportion of young people frequently misusing substances – including illegal drugs, alcohol and volatile substances such as glue, gas or solvents. Substance misuse by young people is strongly linked with involvement in crime or anti-social behaviour, increased risk of failing at school and damage to both mental and physical health. The indicator provides a local measure directly related to the national indicator on young people’s substance misuse in the DCSF led PSA to ‘increase the number of children and young people on the path to success’.
Definition:
The percentage of young people reporting either frequent misuse of drugs/ volatile substances or alcohol, or both. The TellUs survey is voluntary and the data are weighted to match local area profiles based on school census data.
- “Young people” – the measurement of this indicator will cover young people pupils in years 6, 8 and 10, aged from 10 years up to, and including, 15 years old
- “Frequently” – frequent use is defined as being drunk twice or more in the last 4 weeks and/or have taken illegal drugs or volatile substances twice or more in the last 4 weeks
- “Misuse” – frequent use of any substance, or use which may result in harm (e.g. poor outcomes such as school exclusion, criminal involvement, health problems)
- “Substances” – this refers to all illicit drugs, consumption of alcohol and volatile substances such as solvents, glue or gas
Formula:
The TellUs survey is voluntary and the data are weighted to match local area profiles based on school census data.
(X/Y) *100
x = the number of young people in years 6, 8 and 10 that the TellUs survey estimates have used drugs and/or alcohol at least twice in the last 4 weeks from the local population.
y = total number of young people in years 6, 8 and 10 in the local population, based on the school census data.
Further reading:
- The Forum’s briefing paper on PSAs
Filed under: Government , PSA
