{"alias":"contentPage","byline":null,"standfirst":null,"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"sidebar","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EYoung people can often test boundaries and experiment. Sometimes this involves taking risks, and drinking alcohol and trying drugs are ways some young people do this. The harmful effects of alcohol, drugs and smoking are well known.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Scouts, our priority is keeping children and young people safe and we want to support them to make safe and healthy choices. This guidance aims to support volunteers with information and advice.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EAlcohol, drugs and smoking guidance\u003C/h3\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"accordion","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","showExpand":true,"items":[{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EUnder UK law, it\u0027s illegal for under-18s to buy alcohol. Children and young people must never drink alcohol on Scout activities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/safe-scouting-cards/safeguarding-code-of-conduct-for-adults-yellow-card/\u0022 title=\u0022Young People First - Yellow Card\u0022\u003EYellow Card Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults\u003C/a\u003E says that adult volunteers must not drink alcohol when they are directly responsible for children and young people in Scouts. They must never allow under-18s to drink alcohol on Scout activities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOur \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/safe-scouting-cards/scouting-and-alcohol/\u0022 title=\u0022Scouting and alcohol\u0022\u003EGreen Card Scouting and Alcohol Checklist for Adults\u003C/a\u003E sets out our policy on alcohol for all adults involved in Scouting.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u2019re concerned that a young person or adult may be affected by alcohol misuse, follow the Yellow Card Code of Conduct for Adults and \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/reporting-a-concern-to-safeguarding/\u0022 title=\u0022Reporting a concern to safeguarding\u0022\u003Ereport the concern\u003C/a\u003E to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Alcohol"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EUnder UK law, it\u0027s a crime to possess, deal or produce what is termed an illegal drug. You can find out more about \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.gov.uk/penalties-drug-possession-dealing\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Drugs penalties (gov.uk)\u0022\u003Edrugs penalties\u003C/a\u003E on the Government website. So-called \u2018legal highs\u2019 can have the same harmful effect as illegal drugs, and taking over the counter drugs incorrectly can be unsafe. There is more \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/you-your-body/drugs-alcohol-smoking/drugs/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Drugs (Childline.org.uk)\u0022\u003Eguidance on drugs\u003C/a\u003E from Childline.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u0027re concerned that a young person or adult\u0027s behaviour is being affected by substance misuse, you must follow the\u202F\u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/safe-scouting-cards/safeguarding-code-of-conduct-for-adults-yellow-card/\u0022 title=\u0022Young People First - Yellow Card\u0022\u003EYellow Card Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults\u003C/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/reporting-a-concern-to-safeguarding/\u0022 title=\u0022Reporting a concern to safeguarding\u0022\u003Ereport the concern\u003C/a\u003E to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you suspect that a young person or adult is in possession of illegal drugs, you must contact the police by calling 999 or 112, and then inform the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Drugs"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Ch4\u003ESmoke-free Scouting\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe welfare of children and young people is our priority and the harmful effects of smoking are well known. This guidance aims to support volunteers with information and advice about smoking. Where this guidance refers to \u0022smoking\u0022, this includes electronic cigarettes and vapes.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EAdults and smoking\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAll adults in Scouting follow the \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/safe-scouting-cards/safeguarding-code-of-conduct-for-adults-yellow-card/\u0022 title=\u0022Young People First - Yellow Card\u0022\u003EYellow Card Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults\u003C/a\u003E and must act as a role model, inside and outside of Scouts. To protect children and young people, it\u0027s important that no adult volunteer smokes around them. Ideally, we\u0027d like everyone to stop smoking, but we recognise that people have a choice, and this includes our volunteers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdult volunteers who smoke should try not to smoke during a section meeting. Most section meetings run for two hours or less, and it\u0027s reasonable to expect an adult to be able to not smoke for such a short period of time. If an adult volunteer smokes, they must make sure that they don\u0027t subject any child, young person or adult to their smoke. For example, on a weekend camp an adult volunteer who smokes should arrange a place that\u0027s out of sight and away from children and young people. Great care should be taken on camp, especially around tents and in wooded areas due to the increased fire risk.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003ESupporting young people who smoke\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe all have a responsibility to make sure we offer Scouting to young people in a safe environment. It\u0027s unacceptable for adult volunteers to allow children and young people under the age of 18 to smoke while in their care.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdult volunteers may come across young people who choose to smoke. The aim should be to inform the young person of the harmful effect of smoking on themselves and others, speaking to parents and carers and directing to relevant support.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Smoking"}]}]},{"items":[{"type":"Promo","cta":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThese websites provide information and advice. You can also share them with young people.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlcohol and drugs\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/you-your-body/drugs-alcohol-smoking/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Drugs, alcohol, smoking (Childline.org.uk)\u0022\u003EChildline\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/coping-with-life/drugs-and-alcohol/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Drugs and Alcohol (youngminds.org.uk)\u0022\u003EYoung Minds\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Drinkaware homepage\u0022\u003EDrinkaware\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.talktofrank.com/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Honest information about drugs (talktofrank.com)\u0022\u003ETalk to Frank\u003C/a\u003E, a national drug education\u202Fservice jointly established by the\u202FDepartment of Health\u202Fand the Home Office.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStopping smoking\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022http://www.quit.org.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022QUIT homepage\u0022\u003EQUIT\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/nhs-stop-smoking-services-help-you-quit/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022NHS stop smoking services help you quit\u0022\u003ENHS stop smoking services\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Smokefree England homepage\u0022\u003ESmokefree England\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.helpmequit.wales/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Help me quit Wales\u0022\u003EHelp me quit Wales\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.nhsinform.scot/quit-your-way-scotland\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Quit Your Way Scotland\u0022\u003EQuit Your Way Scotland\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.stopsmokingni.info/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Stop smoking Northern Ireland\u0022\u003EStop smoking Northern Ireland\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","link":null,"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Further support","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":"Guidance for members in dealing with a variety of issues which they may encounter. 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