Caritas and Sedqa are to cooperate in a joint programme on substance abuse prevention with students of State schools.

Youths would be invited to weekend seminars organised jointly by Sedqa, Caritas and the Youth Agency.

The information was given by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo yesterday in answer to a question by Opposition education spokesman Joseph Cassar on the extent of help expected from Sedqa and Caritas in State schools.

Mr Bartolo said Sedqa would be running the BABES programme in Year 3 as well as seminars for all primary school students from Years 3 to 6.

Caritas will be running seminars for the same pupils.

Mr Bartolo said all these activities would be held in collaboration with education officials and PSD teachers in the Directorate for Management of the Curriculum.

In recent years Sedqa’s Youth in Focus and Caritas had collaborated with the Anti-Substance Abuse Service in efforts to help youths who had already started experimenting with dangerous substances.

The minister said action was immediate when any student was referred to the Anti-Substance Abuse Service.

If, following a number of meetings with the students and their parents or guardians, it was ascertained that the students needed more specialised help, contact was made with specialised agencies.

All this was done with the consent of the student’s parents or guardians, as laid down in the Policy Tackling Substance Abuse.

Members of the Anti-Substance Abuse Service and professionals in the Psychosocial Education Services continued to follow the student and provide all necessary support.

Mr Bartolo said this policy would continue to be followed during the current scholastic year.

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