More than 130 under-18s referred to drug or alcohol services in Central Bedfordshire last year
More than 130 under-18s were referred to drug or alcohol services in Central Bedfordshire last year, with 87 young people entering structured treatment, according to figures released by Central Bedfordshire Council.
The council’s data shows 138 referrals were made during 2024–25.
All young people waited less than three weeks for their first intervention, meeting the national waiting-time target.
Of those accessing treatment, 60 were aged 15 or younger.
A Central Bedfordshire Council spokesperson said: “The service carries out a comprehensive assessment of needs, care planning, risk management and appropriate interventions with children and young people who have already developed signs of problems with drugs and or alcohol and those impacted by parental substance misuse.
“The service ensures that all children and young people have a named keyworker, structured assessment and a clear care plan.
“Support will also be developed with the family (where appropriate and safe) to maximise the long-term chances of a successful outcome/s.
“To ensure that the young person’s wider related health and wellbeing needs are met, the service works in partnership with Children’s Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, the Youth Offending Service and other relevant services to provide an integrated offer of support for young people.”
The council also confirmed that no under-18s were considered for residential or specialist inpatient treatment in the past three financial years.
This means that no young people were placed away from home for intensive rehabilitation.
The local figures come as a BBC Shared Data Unit investigation found more than 16,000 under-18s were in drug or alcohol treatment in England in 2024/25, a 13 per cent rise on the previous year.
More than half were aged 15 or younger, and the proportion of under-14s in treatment reached a record high (1,832) .
Professor Dame Carol Black, the government’s independent drugs adviser, told the BBC: “There is every intention centrally to rebuild these services and rebuild them better.
“We need the highest possible quality of treatment, delivered in a way that is accessible and acceptable to young people.”
She also warned that residential care for children remains a challenge: “There will be complex cases that absolutely need residential care, and we have work to do to define this area much better and give appropriate guidance.”
Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza said unequal access to treatment amounts to a postcode lottery: “Children should never be denied healthcare because of where they live.
“I’m deeply concerned that too many children face this kind of postcode lottery in accessing specialist support for dealing with drugs and addiction.”
The BBC Shared Data Unit report warns that access to youth drug services varies significantly between local authorities and that there are no state-run specialist residential treatment centres for under-18s anywhere in the UK, with only limited private provision available .
Dr Will Haydock, chief executive of treatment charity Collective Voice, told the BBC: “We know what’s provided varies from one local area to another.
“We need consistency, and that has to come from the centre, with a clear strategy and plan for reducing harm.”
The same data was requested from Bedford Borough Council and Luton Borough Council, but neither council provided a response before publication.
However, BBC Shared Data Unit figures show 40 under-18s were in treatment in Bedford borough and 75 in Luton in 2024/25.