Sewing the SEADS of responsible drinking

Jim Mynard
POLICE and the City of Casey will launch of a program to educate young people and parents about the risks of underage drinking.
The Casey Alcohol Diversion Program begins on Friday 1 December and is a partnership with the City of Casey and South East Alcohol and Drug Service (SEADS).
The program will give police and local laws officers another option when dealing with young people who have committed alcohol related offences such as drinking underage or being underage in licensed premises.
Instead of issuing a fine or police caution, officers will be able to divert young people and their parents into a twohour education session.
Casey youth resource officer Senior Constable Chris Atherton said police were actively working to address a significant underagedrinking problem that existed in Casey.
Sen Const Atherton said the alcohol diversion program would educate parents and young people about the risks and responsibilities associated with underage drinking.
“We believe it will be far more effective than simply issuing a fine, instead creating a better understanding in the community about the issues surrounding alcohol and young people,” she said.
“We see it as a way to open lines of communication between parents, their children and police.”
Senior Constable Atherton said many parents were not aware that supplying alcohol to their underage children was an offence under the Liquor Licensing Act, and could attract an on the spot fine.
She said many teenagers held the mistaken belief that if their parents were aware that they had alcohol or knew they were taking liquor to a party then it was okay.
“We hope the diversion program will clear up some of these misconceptions and provide education on the harms associated with underage drinking as well as the responsibilities young people and their parents have to the community and themselves,” she said.
“Every underage drinking experience has the potential to result in harm, jeopardise personal health or lead to antisocial or risk taking behaviour.”