Tackling volatile substance abuse in Scotland
a training course for the social care workforce

Further reading

References

Books & reports

• The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (1995) Volatile Substance Abuse, HMSO.
• Blake, S. (2005) Dangerous Highs National Children’s Bureau.
• Boylan, J., Braye, S. & Worley, C. (2001) Social Services Training Needs in Relation to Volatile Substance Abuse by Young People Looked After by Local Authorities Staffordshire University Institute of Social Work.
• Camelot Foundation and Mental Health Foundation (2006) Truth Hurts — Report of the National Inquiry into Self-harm among Young People.
• Davies, G. & Pates, R. (2002) Drug Education Handbook for Teachers and Youth Workers Welsh Drug and Alcohol Unit.
• Goulden, C. & Sondhil, A. (2001) At the margins: drug use by vulnerable young people in the 1998/1999 Youth Lifestyles Survey Home Office Research.
• HEA/BMRB International (1996) Drug Realities: National Drugs Campaign Survey London: London Health Education Agency.
• Ives, R. (2000) Volatile substance abuse: guidance for professionals HEBS.
• Lowden, K. & Powney, J. (1999) Drug education in Scotland: provision, perspective and effectiveness The Scottish Council for Research in Education.
• McKeganey, N. (1998) Volatile Substance Abuse Amongst Schoolchildren in Urban and Rural Parts of Scotland.
• McKeganey, N. & Beaton, K. (2001) Drug and alcohol use amongst a sample of looked after children in Scotland Centre for Drug Misuse Research (unpublished).
• Meltzer, H., Lader, D., Corbin, T., Goodman, R. & Ford, T. (2004) The mental health of young people looked after by local authorities in Scotland Edinburgh: The Stationery Office.
• National Centre for Social Research / National Foundation for Educational Research (2004) Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People in England in 2003 London: Department of Health.
• Ohio Early Alert (2005) Potential interaction between Ritalin and inhalants.
• Ramsey, J. et al. (2006) Trends in Deaths Associated with Abuse by Volatile Substance 1971-2004 London: St George's Hospital Medical School.
• Ryan, M. & Butcher, J. (2006) Talking About Alcohol and Other Drugs.
• Scottish Drugs Forum (1999) Working With Young Drug Users — Guidelines to Developing Policy.
• Scottish Health Feedback (2003) The health needs and issues of young people from Glasgow living in foster care settings Glasgow: The Big Step.
• Skellington Orr, K. & Shewan, D. (2006) Review of Evidence Relating to Volatile Substance Abuse in Scotland Scottish Government Substance Misuse Research Programme.

Articles

• Bennett, M. et al. (2000) ‘Relationship of early inhalant use to substance use in college students’ Journal of Substance Abuse.
• Gossop, M. (1993) ‘Volatile Substances and The Law’ Addiction March 1993, vol. 88, no. 3, pp. 311-313.
• Howard, M. & Jenson, J. (1999) ‘Inhalant Use Among Anti-Social Youth: A control study in Albuquerque, New Mexico’ Addictive Behaviours vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 59-74.
• Jagger, L. (1997) ‘Ambiguities in Decision Making: social work's response to “glue sniffing” in Scotland’ British Journal of Social Work vol. 27, pp. 361-376.
• Johnson, E. et al. (1995) ‘Inhalants to heroin: a prospective analysis from adolescence to adulthood’ Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
• Lake (2004) ‘Solvents Remain Just as Deadly as Ever for Teens’ Young People Now April 2004, pp. 14-21.
• Prochaska, J., DiClemente, C. & Norcross, J. (1992) ‘In search of how people change: applications to addictive behaviours’ American Psychologist vol. 47, pp. 1102-14.
• Smith, D. (2006), ‘Social Inclusion and Early Desistance from Crime’ Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime vol. 12.

Web

• Scottish Executive (2005) Getting it Right for Every Child: Proposals For Action
• Scottish Executive (2007) Getting it Right for Every Child: Guidance on the Child's or Young Person's Plan

Other

• Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Dundee, lecture notes.
• ESPAD (2002) A European Perspective Summary of VSA Evidence within the ESPAD Database.
• MacLean, S. (2003) ‘Just a Dirty Kind of Drug: Young People’s Perceptions of Chroming’ Paper presented at the Inhalant Use and Disorder Conference, Australian Institute of Criminology.
• Re-Solv (2002-05) Consultations about young people's attitudes, knowledge and behaviour around VSA.

Re-Solv publications

All of the following resources are available from Re-Solv

• A Loaded Gun
  (Video and Teachers Manual)
  A pack for schools including a video and a work book for teachers. The work book links the video into a lesson plan and a range of additional activities. It also includes background information about VSA policy and other reference sources. Appropriate for key stages 3 and 4.
• Safe is Sound
  (Video with Parent’s Booklet)
  For use with 11 to 16-year-olds. Explains the dangers of abusing freely available domestic products containing solvents and volatile chemicals. It encourages young people to use products for which they were designed.
• Chicken
  (Video with Work Book)
  This presents the story of how volatile substance abuse (VSA) affects the life of a young person and all members of the family. The video is for 11 to 14-year-olds. A great tool to instigate discussion.
• Hazard Crew
  These bright, attractive leaflets use humour to get across a serious message. Targeted at 10-14-year-olds, the characters are sponsored by Aardman Animations, creators of Wallace & Gromit. The attractive pack includes a set of leaflets, posters and trump cards.
• Aqua Cards
  These squishy cards are addictive in a good way. You can't put them down. The credit card sized resources are designed for use with the 15+ age group. They have been developed in consultation with young people and contain vital facts and contact information.
• Youth Workers Activities Pack
  Everything you ever wanted to know about sniffing and more! Our newest resource designed for use by youth workers and others working directly with young people. This pack contains activities, communication tools, and facts on solvents to help professionals deliver the best volatile substance abuse prevention training. Includes the popular activites "Smellathon", "Egg Roulette" and the dog food eating game "The Food Challenge".
• Tackling VSA
  A training pack for social services staff. This flexible pack includes a range of training materials and background information, especially for those working with vulnerable young people and children.
• The Adolescent Epidemic”
  (Video)
  An in-depth introduction to volatile substance abuse. The video contains frank descriptions which makes it unsuitable for use with children, but it is an excellent ‘primer’ for professionals.
• A Bombshell?”
  (Video and work booklet)
  This has been specially produced to help parents understand the problem of volatile substance abuse and how it can be prevented and handled if they are confronted with it.
• Keep your Child Safe and Sound
  (A parents’ guide to VSA)
  This guide aims to help parents protect their children from the potentially fatal dangers inherent in sniffing domestic products.
• Cupboard Leaflet
  This clever leaflet is designed to look like a kitchen cupboard, opening out to reveal a multitude of common abusable household products. The leaflet is printed on high gloss, extra weight paper and contains information on symptoms and facts on solvent abuse.
• The Greatest Danger for Your Child is in Your Home
  Specifically for parents, the leaflet deals with the enormous dangers of solvent abuse. It also doubles as a poster.