Smoking

Staff and visitors are not permitted to smoke or vape in front of children. The Home may have a designated area, where staff may smoke or vape.

Staff should ensure that young people are educated about smoking and vaping. It is accepted that the more that young people know, the more likely they are to make good decisions about how to deal with smoking, vaping, drinking and the misuse of drugs / substances. Good communication ensures the right messages and information are passed on.

Some children/young people may already smoke or vape before they are placed in the Home. Staff should support and encourage such young people to reduce or stop smoking/vaping. Support is available from the Looked After Children's Nurse or the young person's GP. This should be discussed with the child/young person's social worker and addressed as part of the young person's Health Plan.

Staff are not permitted to purchase or give vapes, cigarettes, tobacco, or the materials for making or lighting cigarettes or tobacco to children.

See: Rules about Tobacco, E-Cigarettes and Smoking (GOV.UK).

See also: Young People and Vaping (NHS).

It is an offence for shops to sell e-cigarettes to under 18s or for an adult to buy e-cigarettes for them.

The long-term effects of vaping/E-cigarettes on health are unknown, but it should be regarded as potentially harmful to health in the same way as smoking.

However, if a young person indicates that they would like to try e-cigarettes as a way of giving up smoking, they should be encouraged to contact the LAC Nurse, their GP or local stop smoking services.

For more information, please see: Electronic Cigarettes - Evidence and Advice on e-cigarettes (GOV.UK).

Useful Websites

Quit smoking (NHS)

Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking (NHS)

Young People and Vaping (NHS)