In this section

• What is screening?
• Why screen young people for
  substance misuse?
• Screening Vulnerable Groups
• When should you use the screening tool?
• How should screening happen?
• What is screening trying to establish?
• Outcomes of screening

Screening Vulnerable Groups

Research tells us that the likelihood of a young person developing problems with substance misuse may be influenced by a number of risk factors:

• Poor parental supervision and discipline, and family conflict.
• Lack of engagement with and commitment to school
• Early involvement in problem behaviour, including aggressive behaviour
• Recent emotional problems
• Low income, and poor and unstable housing
• Substance using peers and early onset drinking, smoking and drug use.

Certain groups of young people have been found to, on the whole, use substances at a much higher level than the average, and be more likely to develop problems as they grow up:

• Young people involved in the criminal justice system
• Young people who are looked after by the local authority
• Young people leaving local authority care
• Young people excluded from mainstream education, or persistent truants
• Young homeless
• Young people being exploited sexually
• Children whose parents have substance misuse problems

This is not to say that all these young people will use substances or develop problems, but it makes it more important that they receive good education, information and advice about substance s and substance use, as well as early support and specialist help where necessary.

Substance Misuse Screening and Referral Pathway Flowchart

[ Click on chart to view large version ]