Young people across Merseyside could be waiting as long as a year for help with addiction
The number of children across the country able to access youth addiction services has fallen to its lowest level on record
As we emerge from the pandemic, we're hearing young people across Merseyside could be waiting as long as a year to get help with drink or drug addiction.
More than 11,000 children were getting treatment for drug and alcohol dependency in England during 2020 to 2021, down almost a quarter on the previous year, and the lowest level on record.
It's being blamed on cuts to services as well as lockdown, with alcohol and cannabis the biggest problems.
Breo is a Youth worker in Liverpool :
"The waiting lists are massive, waiting up to twelve months to actually speak to someone.
"People are sitting in their bedrooms and taking drugs, Ketamine, cannabis, MDMA and cocaine and these things get delivered to your door and young people can access illegal psychoactive substances so easily.
"Youth clubs are closing down, lack of investment and in Liverpool in terms of specialist services then you're only talking one or two specialist services able to offer support with drug misuse and the consequences of that".
Analysis of data from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) found that 11,013 under-18s were in treatment for drug and alcohol dependency in England during 2020/21, some 3,278 (23%) fewer than in 2019/20.
This is the sharpest annual fall since records began - and represents 13,481 fewer (55%) children being treated than during a peak in 2008/09.
The vast majority of children in treatment (89% or 9,832) have a problem with cannabis and 41% (4,459) have a problem with alcohol.
Some 12% (1,333) are struggling with ecstasy use while 9% (976) reported a problem with powder cocaine.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists, which analysed the data, said the pandemic together with "drastic" historic funding cuts is stopping young people accessing the drug and alcohol treatment they need, potentially condemning them to a life of addiction.
It said spending on youth addiction services in England has been slashed by 41% in real terms since 2013/14, with two regions cutting spending by 60% or more.
These figures, from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, show the amount spent on youth addiction services has dropped by Ă‚ÂŁ30.49 million, from Ă‚ÂŁ73.68 million in 2013/14 to Ă‚ÂŁ43.19 million in 2020/21 (41% fall).
Dr Emily Finch, vice-chair of the addictions faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: "Children and their families up and down the country are having their lives blighted by drug and alcohol use due to drastic cuts, workforce shortages, and the impact of the pandemic.
"Addiction is a treatable health condition. Intervening early will mean many kids won't go on to have an addiction in their adulthood, keeping them out of the criminal justice system and helping them to live full lives.
"It's now time for the Government to act on their promise and deliver the multimillion-pound investment into drug services."
The college's analysis found that every region in England has made real terms funding cuts since 2013/14, ranging from 8% in Yorkshire and Humber to 61% in the West Midlands.
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