The Carroll County Family and Children First Council (FCFC) uncovered some disturbing youth information during a recent survey.
FCFC, which is represented by 28 family and child serving agencies in Carroll County, conducted a Youth Risk Behavior Survey in Bell-Herron Middle School and Carrollton High School last spring. Responses were received from 494 middle school students and 970 high school students. The high school students responded to 99 inquiries and the middle school students to 50 questions.
Some may find the results shocking:
Middle School
*47 percent were bullied on school property
*22 percent have considered suicide
*30 percent have tried cigarettes
*40 percent have tried alcohol
*17 percent have had sex.
High School
*15 percent have considered suicide in the last 12 months
*53 percent have had sexual intercourse
*78 percent have drank alcohol at least once in their lifetime
*55 percent have tried cigarettes
*35 percent have no one or one adult whom they feel they can turn to with important issues or questions.
As disturbing as the results may be, FCFC has a plan and is moving forward. The next stop is to inform the public of the findings, hold community forums, receive feedback from focus groups that include youth, parents, elected officials, the private and business sectors, service providers, schools, faith community, law enforcement and the justice systems; prioritize key findings, identify an intervention or program that is evidenced based and conforms to community conditions and circumstances and finally, seek funding for programs.
FCFC is collaborating to build a better community for families and children and to assure growing up is a safe and healthy experience for all Carroll County children and youth.
We urge all sectors of the community to become active in this endeavor: it is our community and our children, we should all have a stake in securing them a safe, healthy and successful future.
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