Children still in primary and early secondary school are among more than 350 young people across Surrey and Hampshire who required drug and alcohol treatment last year, with new figures raising concerns about how early some are being drawn into substance misuse.

Data from the BBC Shared Data Unit shows 185 under-18s in Surrey and 175 in Hampshire accessed treatment services in 2024–25, both increases on the previous year. In Hampshire, the total rose by 20 in a single year, from 155 in 2023–24, while Surrey’s figure increased from 165.

The scale of the issue reflects a national picture highlighted by a BBC investigation, which found more than half of the 16,000 children in drug and alcohol treatment across England were aged 15 or under. Experts warned that early intervention is failing many young people.

In Hampshire, around 100 of the children receiving treatment were aged 15 or under, including 20 under the age of 14. In Surrey, 85 of the 185 children in treatment, or 46 percent, were aged 15 or under, with under-14s accounting for 8 percent of cases. In Hampshire, that figure was 11 percent.

Cannabis was the most commonly reported substance in both counties, linked to 155 cases in Hampshire and 140 in Surrey. Alcohol also played a significant role, cited in 55 Hampshire cases and 75 in Surrey. Ketamine, identified nationally as a growing concern, was reported by 25 children in each county.

In Hampshire, other substances recorded included ecstasy, cocaine and benzodiazepines, all of which carry serious risks for young people.

The impact of drug and alcohol misuse is also being felt in classrooms. In Surrey’s state schools, of the 238 permanent exclusions recorded during the year, 13 were linked to drugs. In Hampshire, of the 132 exclusions, 4 were drug-related.

Grace Willsher is the regional head of young person service delivery at drug support organisation WithYou.

She called for more regulated residential facilities for young people to combat issues arising from changing drug trends, such as a greater need for medical support for those with ketamine addictions.

“For those young people more in crisis, we need that detox pathway,” she said.

“The safest way to go through it is in an in-patient facility – in terms of the risks involved trying to come off a substance, it’s safer to do that with the right medical professionals around, in a facility.

“But the journey someone has to go through to be in that place, to be ready for detox is huge and a young person will not come to that decision lightly.”

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs is chief executive and founder of The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, a drug education charity set up in memory of her son Dan, who died at the age of 16 after taking ecstasy.

She said: “It is concerning that the BBC’s statistics show that there are more children in treatment for drug misuse, and vital that such services are available so those who need them are able to access them, no matter where they live.

“This rise highlights the urgent need to invest seriously in prevention nationally, and in evidence-based approaches, including drug education for every child, relevant for their age and stage.

“Only by having such provisions in place are young people able to make informed and safer choices when in situations involving drugs, both for themselves and to support each other.

“Ensuring young people have improved understanding and skills has been demonstrated to prevent or delay onset of use, reduce high risk use and the likelihood of use developing into dependence.”

She said drugs have “never been easier to access, primarily thanks to social media”, and said children were being exposed to drug advertising online without actively searching for it.

While drug misuse is a significant issue in Surrey and Hampshire, the scale is lower than in other parts of the UK.

BBC data found the South-East recorded the lowest overall rate of children in treatment, with 9 per 10,000, and also the lowest rates for under-16s and under-14s. By contrast, the North-East recorded the highest rate of under-18s in treatment at 22 per 10,000 young people, compared with a national average of 13.

Despite the South-East’s lower rates, experts involved in the BBC investigation warned that access to support can vary widely between areas, creating what they described as a “postcode lottery” in community services. The BBC also found there are no state-funded residential treatment beds for under-16s, and only a limited number for over-16s, all privately run and costing tens of thousands of pounds for short stays.

Nick Dunkley is UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT) operations manager at Banbury Lodge, a privately run residential facility with a small number of beds available for young people aged 16 to 18.

He said: “There’s a need for publicly funded, clinically commissioned places – relying solely on private provision is not a sustainable public health model, it limits equity of access and pushes costs onto vulnerable families or stretched local authorities.

“The public treatment system should be able to fund the placement of young people in safe facilities without forcing families to travel hundreds of miles away.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care, which oversees the UK’s substance misuse treatment and recovery sector, said it was “committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need”.

“That’s why, from 2026, all treatment and recovery funding will be channelled through the Public Health Grant, with over £13 billion allocated across three years, including £3.4 billion ring-fenced for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery.

“Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we will also continue to expand support as we shift the focus from sickness to prevention.”

Hampshire County Council said public health services continue to respond to demand, with specialist support available for young people and families.

A council spokesperson said: “While there has been an increase in the number of children receiving drug treatment, national survey data shows that overall drug use among secondary school pupils has fallen since 2021.

“This suggests that those who do need support are being identified and supported appropriately. Although there has been a small increase in younger children (under 14) receiving treatment, they represent fewer than 10 percent of cases, in line with national trends.

“In many cases, we know that substance abuse in children can be connected to child criminal exploitation. Our specialist multi-agency Willow team works jointly with partner agencies across health, education and the Police to disrupt exploitative networks, protect vulnerable children, and ensure they and their families receive appropriate support across respective services.

“We also know that early engagement in treatment is a protective factor, helping to reduce harm and improve outcomes for young people and their families. Hampshire County Council commissions a number of effective, evidence-based services to reduce risks to individuals, families, and the wider community.”

The council said support is available through Hampshire 24/7 for under-25s and their families, Inclusion Recovery Hampshire for adults, and Parent Support Link.

Anyone concerned that a child may be at risk because of substance abuse is urged to contact Hampshire Children’s Services, the spokesperson added.

Mark Nuti, Surrey County Council cabinet member for health and wellbeing, and public health: “Surrey's young people's drug treatment involves specialised, confidential support - often psychosocial/talking therapies, sometimes medication - to help those aged 10 to 25 reduce harm, build resilience, and achieve goals related to substance use, focusing on building trust, managing risks and supporting families, with approaches ranging from brief interventions to structured programmes in community or residential settings.

“Young people accessing the service are supported to prevent longer-term problematic substance use. The figures highlight that children and young people can access services earlier on before they become entrenched in substance use.

“Surrey’s Young People’s Substance Use Service (Catch22) is easily accessible by self-referral, family members or other professionals. Young people are seen quickly in an environment of their choosing, including home, school, youth setting. Surrey County Council has also invested in additional Catch22 link roles within schools’ exclusion teams, youth justice and mental health services to increase opportunities of referrals into treatment as required.

“Engaging with young people at the beginning of their drug/alcohol use is important in reducing longer term problematic behaviour and associated health and social harms.”

He added that ‘treatment' in this instance was a slightly misleading term as less than 1 percent of young people accessing Surrey’s treatment services require medical intervention.