Vaping among children is a topic targeted by a £60,000 Nottingham City Council survey of local school pupils.
Students in years six and ten in the city will receive an online “health-related behaviour questionnaire” asking them about areas including tobacco, vaping, drugs, and alcohol.
It follows growing concern about a rise in the use of vapes by Nottinghamshire young children.
Selling vaping products to anyone aged under 18 and buying vaping products for anyone under 18 are both illegal. But concerns have been raised about some of the products appeal to children and a national NHS survey in 2021 found around nine per cent of secondary school children use vapes.
Other topics targeted by the survey which will be included are healthy eating, relationships and sexual health, and economic education.
The move will be funded through the Public Health Grant and the survey will be completed anonymously.
Initially, the surveys will be given to year six and ten students, but this will be expanded if the budget allows.
The survey will be delivered to primary and secondary schools “with the purpose of ascertaining a better understanding of the health-related behaviour of children and young people”.
The council states there is an “over-arching need to understand and help
determine the health and well-being needs of Nottingham children and young
people”.
The results of the surveys will then be used to “shape” Public Health services and to identify where support is needed within schools.
They will also be used to compare city schools to national data.
City council documents added: “The insight from the survey will allow us to understand the areas of need and therefore target areas of support and investment resulting in better value decision making for children and young people.
“The survey results and analysis will help shape Public Health services aimed at children and young people, plus, this piece of work is of strategic importance across multiple public health areas including Eating and Moving for Good Health, Smoking and Tobacco Control, Sexual Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Drugs and Alcohol.
“The completed surveys will also provide the newly formed Healthy Schools Team and participating schools with data that identifies the health-related behaviour of pupils which will assist in identifying their health and wellbeing needs so that support can be put in place.”
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