Hampshire DAAT Guidance
Identification of Young People's Substance Related Needs
Reducing substance use is a key target in the Every Child Matters outcomes framework under ‘Be Healthy’. Priority national targets have been set for reducing smoking, drinking, Class A drug taking and the regular use of any illicit drugs, especially among the most vulnerable.
Identifying vulnerability to substance use/ misuse is crucial to help identify those children and young people who may be experiencing problems or engaging in risky activity due to their substance use.
Every Child Matters, Change for Children: Young People and Drugs emphasises more focus should be placed on prevention and early intervention with those most at risk, with drug misuse considered as part of assessments, care planning and intervention by all agencies providing services for children, including schools.
The following guidance has been developed by Hampshire DAAT to support all children and young people’s generic, primary care and early intervention youth orientated services in the statutory and voluntary sector to;
Provide good practice guidance in the identification of substance related needs of children and young people in contact with universal and early intervention young people’s services using formal or informal methods.
Assist staff in completing young people’s assessment tools by ensuring key areas are addressed on substance use and misuse screening in line with national guidance and good practice.
Assist staff completing the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) forms to address substance use and misuse use within the assessment process.
The first PDF document provides a summary of Hampshire DAAT Guidance on Identification of Young People’s Substance Related Needs.
Identification of substance related needs summary 
4mb
The second PDF document is a more detailed toolkit which provides further guidance on everything you need to know about Identification of Young People’s Substance Related Needs.