East Devon parents asked to support partnership to keep youngsters safe during prom
Exmouth and Ottery St Mary Inspector Antonia Weeks. - Credit: Archant
With prom season fast approaching, safety officers are advising parents to take precautions, ensuring their children stay safe during the summer celebrations.
Gerry Moore, Community safety and anti-social behaviour co-ordinator for the East Devon and Mid Devon Partnership. - Credit: Archant
In a bid to try and reduce drunkenness, assaults and antisocial behaviour involving young people, the East Devon and Mid Devon Partnership has written to parents offering advice on after-prom parties.
Community safety and antisocial behaviour coordinator Gerry Moore said the partnership took the issue very seriously and, while they wanted youngsters to enjoy themselves, they wanted them to do it safely.
The partnership is asking parents for their support by issuing some guidelines ahead of the festivities, including parents knowing what time their child is expected home and using licensed vehicles and drivers.
Mr Moore said: “Official school proms are likely to be part of those celebrations and these will be well supervised, alcohol-free events attended by many young people. However, past experience has shown that some young people have put themselves in vulnerable positions at ‘after-proms parties’ organised by friends or parents.
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“Many of these events are unsupervised by adults and alcohol is freely available to all those who attend.”
He added parents should speak to their children about how to contact the emergency services and stay with their friends and not leave them if they become drunk or vulnerable.
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Mr Moore said: “If you do supply alcohol, either for their own use or for others to consume, and we would advise that you don’t, be sensible as to what you do supply. Some types of drink are a lot stronger than others and remember there is no recommended safe measure of alcohol for those under 18 years.
“It takes a young person much longer to process alcohol and to sober up than it takes an adult to do so. We hope that with your support incidents of drunkenness, assaults and antisocial behaviour remain low during this season of celebration.”
Inspector Antonia Weeks, a member of the Community Safety Partnership, said: “We are not being killjoys by giving out this advice and we do want young people to enjoy themselves but they and their parents need to make sure that this is done safely.”
