§ John MannTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many LEAs collect statistics on actual and perceived heroin abuse by parents with primary school children; [82270]
(2) how many primary schools have more than 5 per cent, of pupils with a heroin addicted parent at home; [82271]
91W(3) what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact on primary school children of having a heroin-dependent parent at home; [82272]
(4) what recent estimate he has made of the number of children at primary school level who have a parent addicted to heroin at home. [82273]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggLocal education authorities and primary and secondary schools are not required to collect information about the drug use of their pupils' parents. There are inherent difficulties in collecting information about drug use; because of its often illegal nature, drug users are often reluctant to identify themselves to statutory bodies.
The Home Office is responsible for collecting information on the scale of drug misuse in England and Wales. The report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs "The Children of Problem Drug Users" is due to be published next year and will contain estimates of the numbers of children affected by parental drug misuse. The report is also expected to make recommendations to address the problem.
When parents use drugs— especially problematic and illegal drugs like heroin— their children may be exposed to a range of emotional and physical hazards. Children may respond in a variety of ways, including: disturbed or anti-social behaviour; becoming withdrawn or introverted; turning to drink or drugs to escape unpleasant home situations; running away from home; losing concentration in class; and reluctance to form or develop friendships with schoolmates. The child may also be the subject of bullying if schoolmates perceive him or her to be 'different' or 'not fitting in' with the peer group. Schooling is likely to be interrupted if the child is depended upon to care for drug using parents.
The Government recognise that the children of drug using parents are a vulnerable group. They should therefore benefit from the new requirement for every top tier or unitary local authority to prepare from April 2003 a local preventive strategy to improve outcomes for children aged 0–19 who are at risk of social exclusion. This was announced by the Minister for Young People on 6 September. On 30 October the Prime Minister announced to the House the Government's intention to publish a Green Paper on Children at Risk in the New Year. My Department is playing a full part in helping to make sure that vulnerable children and young people are identified as soon as possible, and that their needs are met with a coherent and effective response from the relevant statutory and voluntary agencies.