Rise in Rotherham teenagers taking cocaine, council survey finds

The class A substance has overtaken the use of solvents like glue, according to the annual Voice of the Child survey of 3,499 youngsters in Year 7 and Year 10.

The 2018 results showed most children shunning most drugs, with 92 per cent saying they had never taken any.

Of those who had, nearly a third said they had tried cannabis and nine per cent had taken cocaine. 

The survey report said: “It is concerning to see in the 2018 results that cocaine has become the second most popular drug tried by young people.”

The results also showed that the minority who take drugs are doing so more often.

Some 37 per cent of this group had tried substances more than ten times — an increase of ten per cent on the 2017 results.

Voice of the Child provides an insight into the lives of the borough’s young people — and has led to positive changes being made in the past.

Schools have outlawed high-sugar and high-energy drinks after the issue was raised through the survey.

A spokeswoman for Rotherham Borough Council said: “Feedback from some schools is that they have now banned the sale of such drinks directly because of previous years’ survey results.”

The answers also showed an increase in the number of pupils who say they never feel safe in Rotherham town centre, up from 18.5 per cent to 23.3.

More than half of Year 7 pupils were positive about the temporary bus station at Forge Island but 60 per cent of comments from Year 10s were negative.

The number of pupils having the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day has dropped to 15.5 per cent from 18. The percentage not eating any at all went from six to seven.

More young people are concerned about their weight — and the percentage of Year 7s who do not feel good about how they look has risen from 28 to 35 per cent.

Overall, 8.5 per cent of pupils said they smoked regularly, up from 6.7 per cent last time.

The survey showed a decline in children using youth centres, libraries and leisure centres — but satisfaction levels among those who did were increasing.

A slight increase in the number of pupils hoping to study for a degree — up to 43.1 per cent from 42 — was put down to the new University Centre Rotherham.

Cllr Gordon Watson, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are committed to ensuring every child has the best start in life, which is why surveys like this are important for us to be able to hear and act on what our younger residents tell us is important to them. 

“The annual results show that direct action is being taken by schools and other settings to help address issues that arise.

"Having the voice of the child represented in this way really helps us to understand what issues are affecting our young people.”

Three-quarters of Rotherham’s secondary schools took part in the survey but Rawmarsh, Wickersley, Clifton and St Bernard’s declined.