[size=+1]Drugs dogs in children's bedrooms[/size]
A private security firm in Dorset said it has seen a rise in the number of parents hiring sniffer dogs to check their children's bedrooms for drugs.
Chilport UK charges £50 an hour for one of its dogs to search bedrooms for illegal drugs. Anything found must be handed over to police.
The Portland-based firm said it was a non-intrusive way to check for drugs.
But Parentline Plus claimed searching children's bedrooms would lead to arguments and a loss of trust.
Suzie Hayman, from the charity, said: "Parents should get support first if they suspect drug use.
"Rather than start off with an accusation, you should be able to say to your child 'I have a concern, or worry, we need to talk about this'.
"So instead of an accusation which usually leads to the rows, it is about the concern and what will be done about this.
"I have spoken to so many people where they have had their diaries read or bedrooms searched in their teenage years.
"I speak to people years later when they are having relationship problems and they point to that occasion when they totally lost trust."
Chilport UK has been licensed to carry out bedroom searches.
Trevor Hutchinson, operations director, said: "If a parent is concerned enough to call us in it's quite likely they will thought of searching the child's bedroom themselves.
"That's got disadvantages like it's going to breach trust, if a parent goes through their things.
"But putting a drugs dog around is non-intrusive. It's not going to rummage in cupboards and diaries."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/dorset/8471233.stm
Published: 2010/01/20 20:51:06 GMT
© BBC MMX
A private security firm in Dorset said it has seen a rise in the number of parents hiring sniffer dogs to check their children's bedrooms for drugs.
Chilport UK charges £50 an hour for one of its dogs to search bedrooms for illegal drugs. Anything found must be handed over to police.
The Portland-based firm said it was a non-intrusive way to check for drugs.
But Parentline Plus claimed searching children's bedrooms would lead to arguments and a loss of trust.
Suzie Hayman, from the charity, said: "Parents should get support first if they suspect drug use.
"Rather than start off with an accusation, you should be able to say to your child 'I have a concern, or worry, we need to talk about this'.
"So instead of an accusation which usually leads to the rows, it is about the concern and what will be done about this.
"I have spoken to so many people where they have had their diaries read or bedrooms searched in their teenage years.
"I speak to people years later when they are having relationship problems and they point to that occasion when they totally lost trust."
Chilport UK has been licensed to carry out bedroom searches.
Trevor Hutchinson, operations director, said: "If a parent is concerned enough to call us in it's quite likely they will thought of searching the child's bedroom themselves.
"That's got disadvantages like it's going to breach trust, if a parent goes through their things.
"But putting a drugs dog around is non-intrusive. It's not going to rummage in cupboards and diaries."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/dorset/8471233.stm
Published: 2010/01/20 20:51:06 GMT
© BBC MMX
