Alcohol Policy UK

News & reports in brief: holiday units; local alcohol pricing; social work survey; Stella project news; children with binge drinking parents

8 drinks a day is average Briton's holiday alcohol consumption

A Know Your Limits survey has revealed 27% of holidaymakers drank three times or more than usual whilst away this summer, equating to 80 drinks over the course of the average holiday, or well over 200 units of alcohol. But 70% of the 3,500 adults that partook in survey said they planned to make September the 'new January' by cutting back. See BBC and News Rage UK reports for more.

Tackling alcohol related disorder: alcohol summit & local price probe

The BBC have reported that a summit to discuss ways of addressing alcohol-related disorder in Aberdeen has been agreed by the local licensing board. Local councillor Bill Cormie said he wanted the police and health authorities, the licenced trade and the community to discuss the problems to help determine whether a 'culture change' or an excess of licensed premises was responsible.

Authorities in Swindon will be organising extra patrols to gather evidence to check for a link between cheap offers and anti-social behaviour. The move comes following indications that rises in anti-social behaviour may be linked to 'irresponsible' drinks promotions that have increased since the recession, the BBC reports.

Alcohol survey for social workers

Alcohol Concern are carrying out a survey of social work professionals in order to better understand the effects of parental alcohol misuse on children, as part of their research for Alcohol Awareness Week 2009.

Estimated 30% of children live with at least one binge-drinking parent

Action on Addiction have generated estimates from secondary analysis of 5 household surveys that shows a large number of children live with parents who drink excessively, use drugs, have mental health problems or some combination of the three. The estimates found that approximately 30% of children under-16 years (3.4 - 3.5 million) in the UK lived with at least one binge-drinking parent.

See the Alcohol Concern's Supporting children affected by parental alcohol misuse: a toolkit for guidance.

Stella Project summer newsletter

The Stella Project, which promotes good practice and supports direct service providers across the drug, alcohol and domestic violence sectors in Greater London, has released the Stella Project Quarterly Newsletter Issue 3, 2009 (pdf)

Embrace Project: acting together on alcohol, children, families and domestic abuse

Alcohol Concern's National Lottery-funded domestic abuse and families project Embrace has published a newsletter with all the latest project developments, and a 'resource supplement' that lists key journal articles, websites, sources of leaflets and posters, and policy documents.  Well worth a look.

Tackling Violence Action Plan Implementation Guidance 2008

The Home Office has released guidance to assist local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to deliver action plans to reduce violent crime. The Tackling Violence Action Plan Implementation Guidance focuses on a number of key violent crime types in addition to alcohol-related violence, including gun crime and gang-related violence, knife crime, domestic violence, youth crime and sexual violence.

The document provides guidelines on the strategic framework for implementing local plans to reduce violence and links to a range of key documents and supporting strategies. The report states for alcohol-related violence and PSA 23:

It is recognised that grievous bodily harm (GBH), both with and without intent, can be used as a proxy for the prevalence of alcohol related violent crime because success in tackling all types of alcohol-related violence should be manifested through improvements in the number of GBH offences. Progress on the alcohol-related violent crime outcomes sought both through PSA 25 as well as PSA 23 will be measured using this indicator.

Further guidance on tackling alcohol related violence can be found in the Home Office and Dept of Health Alcohol Strategy Local Implementation Toolkit.

The report also links to the Home office practical guide for dealing with alcohol related problems, which provides an overview of the main measures and legislation to address issues relating to licensed premises, street drinking and individuals.

We have expressed concern about reliance on proxy measures recently, and would prefer to see alcohol flagged better in crime records.

Domestic Violence news: Stella Project release new report and policy bank

The Stella project, the specialist London GLDVP project addressing drug and alcohol related domestic violence, have released several new reports and initiatives to support commissioners, DAATs and practitioners in improving service development.

A online Policy Bank has been set up to include strategies, reports and other resources that address the dual issues of substance use and domestic violence.

The new report Innovative responses: new pathways to address domestic violence and substance misuse across London has been written to highlight innovative and integrated joint working practice.  It raises key learning points including:

• Specific actions that are measurable and monitored should be attached to any strategic commitments on the dual issues, to ensure the efficacy of the strategy and to achieve changes in service delivery and practice
• Regular communication and strong working relations between statutory leads for domestic violence and substance misuse are a key factor for success in this work
• Evidencing need is crucial for attracting and sustaining funding for development work
• The precarious nature of funding can slow down the impetus to develop innovative pieces of work. This is reinforced when work is reliant on one lead person
• Attempts to address alcohol use without addressing the underlying dynamics inherent to domestic violence will not be sufficient to promote the safety of survivors and their children
• The Stella Project recommends that such pilots initiate staff training on how to work with men who are abusive and identify clear referral pathways into appropriate services. Good practice would engage with partners to promote their safety and to measure the effectiveness of interventions

Hard copies of the report can be obtained from info@gldvp.org.uk

Domestic violence perpetration and alcohol: audio and resources from the alcoholpolicy.net/LDAN workshop

The fifth in the alcoholpolicy.net/LDAN 2007 series of alcohol strategy action planning workshops looked at alcohol-related domestic violence, and interventions with perpetrators.  The workshop featured speakers, discussion and debate.

Below is audio from the first part of the session.  The workshop report and audio from Christine Noon (talking about Probation's response) and Keri Abbadi (joint working through the MARAC) will be added shortly.

Introduction by Libby Ranzetta, alcoholpolicy.net
Overview of the issues by Karen Bailey, Stella Project

Right click here to download

Working with perpetrators who have alcohol problems by Stuart Cameron, Tryangle Project

Right click here to download

Links to things Stuart mentioned: BAGRA

DV alcohol arrest referral pilot by Hannah Lindsell and Claire Sibson, Lewisham

Right click here to download

Home Office online expert chat today: alcohol and domestic violence

There will be a panel answering questions on alcohol-related DV, particularly at Christmas, online 12 noon to 2pm today at the Crime Reduction website here .  Details of the panel here

The report and audio from the latest alcoholpolicy.net/LDAN workshop on Alcohol and DV (working with perpetrators) will be available shortly.  Please email me if you'd like details.

Alcohol-related DV patrols for Rugby World Cup - Wales

Police are launching patrols in the south Wales valleys during the Rugby World Cup to allow them to respond quickly to domestic violence.  Specialist officers will be in vehicles on match days in Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly county.

Det Insp Bill Davies, who is co-ordinating the initiative, said the officers would be on hand to offer extra support to colleagues dealing with incidents of domestic abuse. He said the previous campaign had shown that "early intervention is key". He said:

"On match days domestic violence incidents peaked earlier in the day, around 8pm, whilst on non-match days such incidents heightened around 11pm - midnight.

"Such initiatives have proven successful when run previously, at specific times of the year, when it's anticipated there will be an increase in factors that can sometimes lead to domestic abuse, such as alcohol and debt."

Domestic violence Police say domestic abuse peaks at about 8pm on rugby match days The assembly-funded Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline said one in four women in Wales would be a victim of domestic abuse by their partner or ex-partner at some time in their life.
The helpline's Tracey Owens said:

"Although our calls do not rise significantly on the days when there are big sporting events, this does not mean that domestic abuse incidents are not on the increase during this time, when there is a likelihood of increased alcohol consumption.

"Although I would point out that alcohol is by no means an excuse for domestic abuse, if there are already issues within a domestic relationship then they can be exacerbated with alcohol."

The helpline, aimed at men, women or children suffering domestic abuse, was launched in 2004. It is now a 24-hour operation and received 13,500 calls in the 12 months to April this year. The Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline is on 0808 80 10 800  BBC News

alcohol strategy action planning workshops: working with DV survivors with alcohol problems

alcoholpolicy.net and LDAN
alcohol strategy action planning workshops
workshop four: alcohol and domestic violence – working with women who experience both
Wednesday 15th August, 2 to 4.30pm, Central London

The workshop will explore the links between alcohol use and domestic violence, as well as policy and best practice in working with both issues – from the survivor's perspective.  (Workshop five, on October 3rd will concentrate on perpetrators who have alcohol problems.)

Speakers include:

• Karen Bailey (Stella Project)
• Michelle Robson (DASL Star Project)
• Foziha Raja (EACH)
• Cordelia Mayfield (ARP; tbc) 

Topics include:

• research and theory on alcohol use and DV
• working with DV within a substance misuse service
• working with Asian women
• joint working in practice
• the Cycle of Change for women

This workshop is the fourth in a series of six practical workshops to bring you up to speed with the latest stuff, and help you make progress on alcohol.

aim: to drive local action on alcohol through practical guidance target audience: local alcohol champions (we mean anyone who wants to get things moving on alcohol)

why attend: these workshops will change your (working) life.  Action on alcohol has been bogged down in talking endlessly about all too familiar problems, and waiting for funding.  There is important work we can be doing now, with existing resources.  Come and get started.

about us: alcoholpolicy.net is behind the website and podcast for the alcohol harm reduction field.  We are an informal network of consultants, researchers and practitioners, keen to share our learning and ideas. Our motto: nonus wheela reinventare.  LDAN is the London Drug and Alcohol Network – developing substance misuse policy and supporting the capital’s treatment sector

other info: the workshops are free.  Materials and audio from the workshops will also be freely available on www.alcoholpolicy.net to book contact Shona Flannigan  at shona.flannigan@ldan.org.uk or 020 7704 0004

CDRP statutory instruments: breakthrough on alcohol-related data and local alcohol strategy

Two new statutory instruments relating to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) reform under the Police and Justice Act 2006 will come into force on August 1st (England only).

SI 1830: The Crime and Disorder (Formulation and Implementation of Strategy) Regulations 2007 obliges CDRPs to:

• carry out annual strategic assessments - to include the impact of alcohol misuse on crime and disorder
• prepare annual community safety agreements that identify how partners should work together
• prepare a three year strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder and for combating substance misuse in the area.  'Substance misuse' explicitly includes alcohol.  The plan is to be revised at the beginning of each year. 

See also Explanatory Memorandum here.
SI1830 makes compulsory the preparation of local alcohol strategies mentioned in the Government's updated alcohol strategy for England Safe. Sensible. Social.

 

SI 1831: The Crime and Disorder (Prescribed Information) Regulations 2007 sets out what information CDRP partners must share.  Crucially for alcohol, it places a duty on PCTs to provide quarterly submissions to the CDRP, with depersonalised data as follows:

• the general postcode address of persons resident in the area admitted to hospital, the date of such admissions and the sub-categories of each admission within the blocks
  • assault (X85-Y09)
  • mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F10-F19)
  • toxic effect of alcohol (T51)
  • other entries where there is evidence of alcohol involvement determined by blood alcohol level (Y90) or evidence of alcohol involvement determined by level of intoxication (Y91)
• the general postcode address of persons resident in the area admitted to hospital in respect of domestic abuse, and the date of such admissions.

• the location, time and date of ambulance service calls to incidents relating to crime and disorder and the category of such incidents using any system for classifying crime and disorder used by that authority.

See also Explanatory Memorandum here.

Tackling Violent Crime Programme: lessons on identification of alcohol-related crime

The UCL Jill Dando Crime Institute of Crime Science has published Cross cutting issues in violence: results from the TVCP tranche 3 problem profiles, here. The report gives an overview of cross cutting issues in violence as identified by problem profiles submitted to the Police Standards Unit under tranche 3 of the Tackling Violent Crime Programme (TVCP).  Alcohol features strongly throughout.

One of the key findings is that:

• It is difficult to accurately identify alcohol-related crime, and evidence is often anecdotal.

The report highlights problems with flagging police data as alcohol-related - the flags are under-used and sometimes misapplied.  Information from the TVCP areas shows that alcohol is linked with violence associated with the night time economy, and domestic violence.

The report concludes:

• Overall, violent crime clusters in town and city centres on weekend evenings and alcohol is often a contributory factor..... Trends confirm that residential areas are peak location for domestic violence, and that this type of crime also clusters on weekend evenings.