Vaping and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: desktop review
Vaping in young people with Special Educational Needs
As a result of the speed at which vaping has arisen as a complex issue across the country, Healthwatch Brighton and Hove, Amaze, The Parent Carer's Council (PaCC) and Brighton and Hove City Council, are conducting some research into vaping with young people aged under 25 in Brighton and Hove.
We have a particular interest in learning about the experience of young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as so little is known about this group’s experiences, beliefs and knowledge around vaping.
Desktop review
This desktop review consolidates information about young people’s experiences of vaping and provides contextual knowledge for the project. Twelve reports were reviewed and summarized, drawing mostly from national data.
Key findings include:
- Rates of vaping amongst 11-17 years olds appear to have stabilized since 2022 after a period of increase from 2013.
- There is national evidence which shows that young people are vaping to relieve stress and anxiety and there is a link between mental health and vaping.
- The association between ADHD symptoms and vaping among adolescents is well documented.
Next steps
Next steps for the project include ongoing work promoting our online surveys for young people with SEND and parents and carers of young people with SEND, and running focus group sessions with young people with SEND and parents and carers.
Please read more about our surveys and take part here: Tell us about your experiences of Vapes and Vaping | Healthwatch Brightonandhove
Downloads
Please download the following document for the full desktop review.
