Safer Annual Review 2011 - Reduce harm caused by alcohol and drugs
Drugs and alcohol help
National charity Swanswell took over adult drug services for Sandwell in August 2011. Read the full story.
Swanswell helps people overcome drug, alcohol and other problems. It is based at Metro Court , High Street, West Bromwich.
For support for people with alcohol and drug problems, visit the Sandwell Drug & Alcohol Team (DAAT) website or call the DAAT on 0845 002 0037 for information.
You can also get advice on sensible drinking from Drink Aware.
DECCA - help for young people
The DECCA (Drug Education, Counselling and Confidential Advice) Team is Sandwell's young people's alcohol and drug service.
Our Guide To is DECCA's multi award-winning website that gives advice and information to young people. It covers issues such as alcohol and drugs, sexual health, teenage pregnancy, LGBT issues and many more. The site received 91,202 hits in 2010.
DECCA works with people up to the age of 19. It offers a service to all schools in Sandwell and educated and worked with over 10,000 young people in the last academic year. It also worked with over 2,000 young people in the community in 2010.
Any young person involved in alcohol or drug related anti-social behaviour is referred for help and support before problems escalate.
You can contact DECCA by calling 0845 838 5317, texting 07781 472746 or emailing dqa1000@hotmail.com.
Tackling nuisance drinking
Sandwell Council trading standards officers, supported by Police, carried out 'test purchases' at shops selling alcohol and cigarettes.
A volunteer aged under 18 tried to buy alcohol or cigarettes from the shops.
In 2010/11, they carried out 241 tests for alcohol, with 29 shops selling. And there were 87 tests for cigarettes, and seven shops sold illegally.
Any shop that sold illegally faced sanctions. These included 22 prosecutions, 12 fines issued by a police officer and 28 licence reviews leading to stricter licence conditions.
Meanwhile, Sandwell Council wardens have stepped up their action, seizing alcohol nearly 500 times in a year from nuisance drinkers on the borough's streets.
You may also be interested in:
- Operation Unite targets known criminals
- Safer 6
- Safer Annual Review 2011
- Safer Annual Review 2011 - Cleaner and safer streets and public places
- Safer Annual Review 2011 - Community cohesion
- Safer Annual Review 2011 - Prevent offending
- Safer Annual Review 2011 - Reduce anti-social behaviour, improve public confidence
- Safer Annual Review 2011 - Reduce crime
- Safer Annual Review 2011 - Who we are and what we are about
- Safer Annual Review 2011 - Your contacts
- Safer Sandwell Partnership
- West Bromwich Civic Quarter - Planning and design brief supplementary planning document