Reports reveal a dramatic rise in substance misuse Scotland faces within its schools. The latest figures show more than three times as many Scottish pupils now need addiction support as a decade ago. The number has soared from 228 in 2014 to 714 pupils in the last year. This jump signals wider worries about Scottish pupil addiction and how schools can help those most at risk.

Substance Misuse Scotland: Numbers Tripling in Ten Years

The statistics on substance misuse Scotland has compiled point to a growing issue that cannot be ignored. Today, hundreds more children are turning to teachers and school staff for help due to substance misuse. This trend puts immense pressure on schools, which are also seeing a sharp rise in the number of students requiring support for disruptive behaviour. Over the last ten years, nearly 71,000 Scottish pupils have needed extra help for behavioural issues, up 42,634 since 2014.

Scottish Pupil Addiction Support Under Strain

The response in Scottish schools hasn’t kept pace. While addiction trouble among Scottish pupils climbs, the number of specialist teachers for Additional Support Needs (ASN) has dropped. There are now a record low of just 2,837 ASN teachers in Scotland, down 240 compared with a decade ago. This reduction leaves many vulnerable pupils facing longer waits for vital support.

Representatives from various parties have raised concerns. Roz McCall, the Scottish Tory children’s spokeswoman, sharply criticised the government’s response to substance misuse and wider support issues. Labour’s Pam Duncan-Glancy echoed this, stressing that Scottish pupil addiction and mental health struggles are outpacing school resources.

The Behaviour Challenge in Scottish Schools

Behavioural difficulties have rocketed alongside substance misuse Scotland is seeing. Almost 71,000 students now require ongoing support for their behaviour. The jump is significant and brings new difficulties to education staff, who must balance classroom management with offering additional help.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition has publicly called out the falling number of ASN specialists, warning this essential lifeline for at-risk students is being eroded. The coalition stressed that the Scottish Government and local councils need to properly resource support systems, especially as the support needs are higher than at any time in the past decade.

Impact of the Pandemic on Scottish Pupil Addiction and Support Needs

Another key factor in the sharp rise in extra support requirements is the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Data shows that since Covid, the number needing help for “interrupted learning” has increased by almost 8,000 and this figure is now six times greater than it was back in 2014.

Additionally, there has been a doubling in students dealing with communication difficulties and mental health struggles. Since 2019, the number of pupils requiring support due to mental health problems has more than doubled, from just over 6,000 to 12,707 last year. This trend overlaps with the wider issues of Scottish pupil addiction.

More Scottish Pupils Than Ever Need Support

Today, over four in ten children in Scottish schools receive some form of additional support, a huge leap from five percent in 2007. The reality of substance misuse Scotland faces cannot be separated from these wider support needs, as many problems are interlinked.

A Scottish Government spokesperson addressed the situation, underlining a record £1 billion spent by local authorities on ASN support during 2023/24. They added that while substance misuse is not the most common reason for needing extra help, it remains important for schools to educate students about the risks.

Significant resources have also been directed towards prevention initiatives. The government is investing £1.5 million in the Planet Youth (Icelandic Model), aiming to involve communities in protecting children, and nearly £4 million more for the successful “Routes” programme, which supports young people whose families have substance misuse issues.

Addressing Substance Misuse Scotland Must Prioritise

The new evidence makes clear that substance misuse and Scottish pupil addiction are challenges affecting not just a few individuals, but the entire education system. Teachers and ASN specialists are working with limited resources while facing larger and increasingly complex classes.

To meet this crisis, there are growing calls for the government and local authorities to increase support, restore specialist teacher roles, and ensure that school staff are equipped to handle the rising demand. Programmes that prevent substance misuse and support vulnerable students require continued commitment and investment.

Source: The Scottish Sun