The drug ice is tightening its grip on the western suburbs, according to Footscray youth worker Les Twentyman.
He said children as young as 12 were using ice regularly, with a number of teens also becoming involved in crime and gangs.
“There was a kid locked up at 13 for an aggravated burglary while on ice,” Mr Twentyman said.
“He was released only to go back into custody last week. He’s a kid with great qualities, but he’s got this problem with ice.”
Ice-related ambulance attendances in Maribyrnong are rising each year and a lack of rehabilitation services makes it difficult for users to kick the habit.
At a meeting in Footscray last week with local police and shadow attorney-general John Pesutto, Mr Twentyman outlined the difficulties of keeping young people off the streets and off drugs.
He said the issue could affect families of all backgrounds, as shown by the addiction of Senator Jacqui Lambie’s 21-year-old son, and there was a risk of a whole generation being lost unless there was urgent intervention.
“Our big issue at the moment is kids being suspended from school,” he said.
“There are 3000 kids aged 10-14 not going to school.”
Mr Twentyman called for a dramatic increase in outreach youth workers, particularly in disadvantaged areas such as Braybrook.
“The youth workers can work with the family, the kid and the school; they can work with the whole community,” he said.
“The youth workers will be on the job making sure the kids are not hanging around Sunshine railway station where there are a lot of issues.
“In Braybrook there are houses not fit to put animals in and that’s where kids and families are being put.”
People concerned about ice can phone the Ice Help Line on 1800 423 238.
