Kent Drug and Alcohol Action Team

National Drugs Helpline 0800 77 66 00



What is the Kent Drug & Alcohol Action Team?

  • Kent Drug & Alcohol Action Team (KDAAT) is a multi-agency team, set up in 1995, responsible for the effective management and commissioning of drug related and treatment services throughout Kent.
  • This multi-agency team has a responsibility to report to a partnership board.
  • The partnership board of the Kent Drug Action Team consists of senior officers representing all the local agencies concerned with drug misuse and its consequences.
  • These agencies include the County Council, Police, Probation, Customs and Excise, local NHS services and voluntary groups.
  • The Strategic Director of Kent County Council Social Services, Peter Gilroy, chairs this partnership board.

Strategic Objectives

The Kent Drug Action Team has four priority areas that reflect the requirements of the Government's 10-year strategy for tackling drugs:

  • Young People: To help young people resist drug misuse in order to fulfil their potential in society.
  • Communities: To protect our communities from drug related anti-social and criminal behaviour.
  • Treatment: The provision of treatment services to enable people with drug problems to overcome them and live healthy and crime free lives.
  • Availability: To stifle availability of illegal drugs on our streets via the disruption of drugs marketing and supply chains.

These objectives are:

1. Assisting Young People Resist Drug Misuse in Order to Achieve Their Full Potential in Society:

Home Office statistics indicate that almost half of young people will take drugs.

Therefore, the Kent Drug & Alcohol Action Team will work closely with all partners to ensure that:

  • All children aged 5 to 16 receive effective drug education as part of their school curriculum.
  • Information and advice is provided to parents and teachers and youth services to enable those young people most at risk to be identified.
  • Young people most at risk of developing serious drug problems receive appropriate help and advice.

To ensure the above aims are met the Kent Multi Agency Partnership works to a "Shared Purpose Strategy" launched in 2000 by all partners.

2. Helping to protect our communitities from drug related anit-social and criminal behaviour:

Communities are increasingly concerned about the amount of crime committed to feed drug habits and the resultant anti-social behaviour.

Therefore, the Kent Drug Action Team works closely with all partners to ensure that:

  • Specific treatment programmes are developed and provided for those committing drug related crimes
  • Adequate resources are targeted and provided to detect drug related crimes.
  • Consistent criminal action is taken against drug dealers, suppliers and their markets.