Parental Drug and Alcohol Awareness Toolkit

A Teacher’s Toolkit for Facilitating Parental Drug and Alcohol Awareness Workshops Parental Drug Awareness Workshop Toolkit

This toolkit has been developed by Hertfordshire County Council to support primary and secondary schools in Hertfordshire in delivering in-house Parental Drug Awareness Workshops. Not all young people will drink alcohol or take drugs but the vast majority will come into contact with them at some point during their school years and consequently will need to make choices. Although education, peers and the media all have an undeniable influence on decisions made, research shows that parents (and those with parental responsibility) have a major role to play too. This workshop equips parents / carers with basic knowledge about alcohol, cannabis and New Psychoactive Substances (often referred to as “Legal Highs”) and some of the risks associated with substance misuse. It also suggests strategies for talking openly and honestly about drugs and alcohol at home to help support children as they learn and guide them to make informed, and hopefully healthy, lifestyle choices.

The PowerPoint presentation, accompanying lesson plan, Drugs Information Sheet and evaluation forms are all based on the workshops funded by HCC, which were available free to schools in the county between December 2015 and March 2016. Teachers do not have to be an expert to deliver them effectively but some reading around the subject will be required and there are signposts to useful websites in Section D of this pack.

For more information about the support that Hertfordshire County Council can offer schools in delivering high quality drug education please contact:

Health Inequalities Manager Vulnerable Young People Policy Team, Hertfordshire County Council Farnham House, Six Hills Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2FQ Email: [email protected] 01438 844417 Comnet/Internal: 54417

©Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People 2016 2 Parental Drug Awareness Workshop Toolkit

Contents

Section A – Guidance for teachers 1 Introduction  Learning outcomes  Key vocabulary  Drug overview

2 Preparing for the workshop  Inviting parents and carers  Confidentiality and ground rules

Section B – Workshop Lesson Plan and Presentation 3 Delivering the workshop  Materials required  Key messages  Parental Drug Awareness workshop lesson plan  Evaluation form

Section C – Where to go for more information and support 4 Local drug and alcohol support services

5 National organisations

SECTION A - GUIDANCE FOR TEACHERS

1. Introduction In addition to the drug and alcohol education pupils have as part of their PSHE or science lessons, research has shown that to reduce risk and increase the likelihood of children making healthy lifestyle choices they need to learn at home too1. Consistent messages from both home and school should be honest, factually correct and balanced, providing clear boundaries as well as explaining the potential health, social and legal consequences of substance misuse. This encourages conversations about drugs and alcohol to be open and relaxed, rather than saving everything up for one ‘big talk’, which is likely to have less effect.

This toolkit provides teachers with the resources they need to deliver a 1.5 hour basic Parental Drug Awareness Workshop to parents of pupils from Key Stages 1-4. It gives basic information on alcohol, cannabis and New Psychoactive Substances, the group of drugs often misleadingly referred to as ‘Legal Highs’, along with general guidance for parents on how to talk about this sensitive subject with their child. There is also information about where to go locally for additional advice and support if parents are concerned about their child’s (or another family member’s) substance misuse.

Additionally, we have provided a PowerPoint presentation (which is referred to by slide throughout this document), a template letter to send home to parents, a Parental Drug Awareness Information Sheet and an evaluation form. These are available to download from The Hertfordshire Grid for Learning.

1 http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/drugs/Pages/Drugsandyourkids.aspx

Please note that as this is a basic awareness-raising workshop no specialism or expertise in substance misuse is required of facilitators. Whilst all of the information given is correct at the time of writing the law is liable to change, especially regarding Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS), so it is suggested that facilitators visit the government website, FRANK www.talktofrank.com which is regularly updated and offers free confidential drugs information and advice 24 hours a day. Learning outcomes Parents and carers will:  Gain a basic awareness of alcohol, cannabis and legal highs (Novel Psychoactive Substances)  Gain knowledge about the legal status and likely consequences of being found misusing these substances  Learn about short and long term risks of substance misuse to health and emotional wellbeing  Reflect on personal values and attitudes to drugs and alcohol and how this impacts on parenting  Consider the skills required for parents to talk effectively with their children about drugs to support them in making positive choices.  Know where to find help and support both nationally and in Hertfordshire Key Vocabulary Parents = those with parental responsibility for any child or young person. This could include grandparents, foster carers and other family members. Drug = any substance that alters the way the mind or body works. This includes alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines. Health = to include mental, physical and emotional health and wellbeing. Substance misuse = the continued misuse of any mind-altering substance that severely affects a person's physical and mental health, social situation and responsibilities2. Alcohol = ethyl alcohol a colourless volatile flammable liquid which is the intoxicating constituent of wine, beer, spirits, and other drinks, also used as an industrial solvent and as fuel. In the context of this workshop we are referring to alcohol as a legal drug controlled by age.

2 Source: www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Cannabis = a dried preparation of the flowering tops or other parts of the cannabis plant, or a resinous extract of it (cannabis resin), used illegally as a psychotropic drug, often smoked with tobacco in hand-rolled cigarettes called ‘joints’.. THC = delta-9-terahydrocannabinol, which is found in all parts of the cannabis plant but is more concentrated in the sticky resin secreted from the flowering tops of the female plant. The more THC in the cannabis, the stronger it is. Skunk = cannabis with higher levels of THC, usually produced hydroponically, making it stronger than traditional weed or grass. Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) = Novel Psychoactive substances are sometimes known as 'legal highs'. NPS are drugs that mimic, or claim to mimic, the effects of illegal drugs like cannabis and cocaine. Some NPS are currently legal to possess, but increasingly new laws are controlling them. Nitrous Oxide = laughing gas, considered a ‘legal high’, often inhaled using a balloon. The debris from this is the silver bullet shaped cartridges, often seen discarded in parks and open spaces, which are from a whipped cream (or similar) charger. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 = this is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to prevent the non-medical use of certain drugs. For this reason it controls not just medicinal drugs (which will also be in the Medicines Act) but also drugs with no current medical uses. The Medicines Act 1968 = this Act governs the control of medicines for human use and for veterinary use, which includes the manufacture and supply of medicines. To find out more about the laws that govern the control and sale of drugs and medicines in the UK please go to www.legislation.gov.uk and type in the name of the Act or substance in the search bar. To read the latest UK Chief Medical Officers ‘ Alcohol Review Guidelines go to https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/489795/summary.pdf

Drug overview

Drug Common slang Category Legal status

Alcohol Booze, drink, tipple Depressant Alcohol is a legal drug controlled by age. Anyone over 18 can buy and drink it. It is illegal to sell or knowingly buy alcohol for anyone under the age of

Cannabis Dope, weed, ganja, Depressant, Cannabis is a class B drug. The penalties are up to green, skunk, herb, Hallucinogen, 5 years imprisonment for possession and 14 years grass, hashish, Stimulant for possession with intent to supply. sinsimilla

New psychoactive Legal highs, NPS Depressant, Legal highs mimic the effects of illegal drugs e.g. substances Hallucinogen, cocaine, ecstasy or cannabis, but are structurally Stimulant different enough to avoid being controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. However, the Government can place a temporary ban on any NPS until a decision is made on whether it should be permanently controlled. This means that the status of some substances currently considered legal is likely to change. To keep informed go to www.talktofrank.com

2. Preparing for the workshop This workshop works from the starting point that all parents have expertise in their own child and invites them to build on this, rather than working from a more traditional deficit model that can leave people feeling inadequate or that they are ‘bad parents’ if they can’t talk to their child about this important subject. Getting this message heard should help target the parents and carers of those considered most at risk of alcohol or substance misuse. By encouraging a co-produced partnership between home and school, as well as continuing to provide high quality education and pastoral support, it is intended that parents will feel less isolated and more able to set and maintain appropriate boundaries, give non-biased, accurate information and demonstrate to their child that home support is always there when they need it.

Inviting parents and carers This workshop provides opportunities for parents and carers with children of primary and secondary school age to learn more about drugs and alcohol as well as strategies for talking about them effectively at home. To ensure parents do not feel ‘picked

©Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People 2016 7 Parental Drug Awareness Workshop Toolkit on’ it is important to make the sessions as inclusive as possible, asking for support from key parents who already volunteer within school or who are on the PTA to help with word of mouth recommendation and getting the news out there. Peer endorsement can be a very powerful tool and should help encourage reluctant parents that this will be a useful experience.

Schools may wish to link the workshop to an existing fixture in the school calendar, for example parent evenings, to encourage attendance. Working parents might appreciate an evening workshop whilst morning sessions straight after morning registration can be helpful for parents of younger pupils. For primary age children in years 5 and 6 the workshop could be marketed as part of the process of ‘preparing your child for secondary school’ and for the parents of older pupils themes including ‘supporting your child through exam stress’, ‘preparing for college or university’ or ‘moving into GCSE years’, can make workshop attendance more appealing. Promotion could include: a) A letter (included in Section C of this toolkit) to be sent home via pupils to invite parents to attend b) A social media campaign, using the school website, Facebook and other established digital communication links c) Direct messaging to parents signed up to email and text services from school d) Face-to-face marketing (where appropriate)

This strategy takes into account the differing needs of parents and perceived barriers that could prevent attendance, e.g. offering visual information as well written, using clear language and providing opportunities for questions. You will also need to consider how to reach families where English is a second language, for example by providing translation support.

Summary 1. Decide on a time and date most likely to attract the maximum number of parents 2. Widely promote. 3. Ensure information about local drug and alcohol support services is up-to-date and available for all 4. Print copies of the Parental Drug Awareness Information Sheet to give out at the end. This is included in the toolkit 5. Set up tables and chairs ‘café’ style, so that parents will be seated in groups of four to six. This should aid discussion and encourage participation

6. Put large sheets of paper and marker pens in the centre of each table 7. Have evaluation sheets ready to hand out for completion at the end. This is also provided in the toolkit

Confidentiality and Ground rules The term ‘drug’ is used to describe many legal and illegal substances, including tobacco and alcohol. Teachers should take into account before the workshop that although parents may have little or no experience of illegal substances, e.g. cannabis or cocaine, discussing alcohol consumption and the potential health risks it poses can cause parents to reflect on their own habits, as well as those of their children. Whilst this may be beneficial in terms of self-awareness and health promotion it is important not to get sidetracked into focusing more on alcohol than the other two drugs.

Many parents and carers feel uncomfortable discussing drug issues with their children for a wide variety of reasons including embarrassment, not knowing where to start, personal opinion, faith and culture. This reluctance can also be because parents believe they have little knowledge themselves, apart from what they see in the media, or that what they do know is outdated and therefore not useful. One of the key messages of this workshop is that you don’t have to be an expert or have all the answers to be able to have useful conversations at home.

In addition to this some families may have first-hand knowledge of drug and/or alcohol related issues. There could be a family member with drug or alcohol dependency issues or someone with a drug related criminal record, which will require additional sensitivity to ensure that they can participate fully without it becoming personal. This is an information giving session and it is important to keep it that way so be sure to have on hand information about where to go for additional support, where required.

All of these factors will need to be considered in advance and time taken at the start of the workshop to explain professional confidentiality and boundaries so that parents and carers understand that some disclosures cannot be ignored and will need to be acted upon. To help manage what is and isn’t shared during group discussions it is a good idea to agree some ground rules. One rule sugges ted for inclusion is that no one should ask or be asked personal questions. The aim of this is not to stifle confidences, but to ena ble parents to relax safe in the knowledge that embarrassing questions will not be fired at them. It should also reduce the likelih ood of inappropriate over-sharing.

Suggested ground rules

 We are all here because we want to learn  As parents / carers we have our own parenting styles based on faith, culture, community and experience, all of which are valued  We recognise that we all come to the workshop with different levels of knowledge and experience  Questions are welcomed, but these will not include questions about personal or family experiences  We agree to listen to each other without interrupting  We will respect each other’s right to confidentiality (within professional boundaries)  We may not always agree but we will respect everyone’s right to an opinion

Finally, Parental Drug Awareness Workshops provide an opportunity for teachers to explain to parents and carers the school dru g policy so that they know what will happen if a young person is involved in a drug-related incident, e.g. smoking in a non-smoki ng area, possession, or selling illegal substances. As well as the consequences of breaking school rules and/or the law, this shou ld include explaining the process for appeal and the pastoral support available for pupils.

SECTION B – WORKSHOP LESSON PLAN AND PRESENTATION Materials required  Information about local drug and alcohol support services for young people and their families  Equipment to show the PowerPoint presentation provided in this Toolkit  Large sheets of paper and marker pens

 A selection of empty bottles and cans of alcohol  Low tack sticky labels (placed over the units information on each bottle or can)  Sticky notes  A plain empty bottle, with a label or tag marked ‘POISON’  Facilities to play a short film produced by Channel 4 News: ‘Laughing gas vendors: having a laugh at the law's expense?’ (3.55 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0p8oLMS2ck (Optional)  An information sheet for each parent/carer (to be given out at the end of the workshop)  Evaluation forms and pens  Refreshments (optional)

Key Messages

1. A drug is any substance that alters the way you feel, think or behave.

2. Not all drugs are illegal, but being legal doesn’t automatically mean safe.

3. Not all children and young people try drugs.

4. You don’t need to be an expert to talk about drugs and alcohol with children, but you do need to get your facts straight.

5. Speak openly and honestly about substance misuse and avoid using scare tactics or offering opinions as facts.

6. Use things like TV shows and media stories to prompt everyday discussions rather than having one big ‘drugs talk’.

7. If you are worried or concerned there is help and support available in Hertfordshire.

Parental Drug Awareness Workshop Lesson Plan This lesson plan is a companion to the Parental Drug Awareness Workshop PowerPoint presentation. It should be used in conjunction to support the information, instructions and learning points given in the presentation and will help facilitators keep on task within the timescale. It is advised that teachers print off a ‘notes’ version of the presentation to refer to throughout the workshop.

Workshop time: 1.5 hours There is enough material in the toolkit to run a longer session if required. Dependent on the needs of the parents, facilitators may choose to spend more time on one topic than another, and there is an extra section on Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) to be delivered where appropriate. Please note: timings given are for groups of 12-20 parents. If numbers are higher then each section will take longer to facilitate so it may be advisable to have whole group discussions rather than divide into smaller ones and limit feedback time. If it is a smaller group then it will take less time.

Task Time PowerPoint Equipment slide Welcome 3 Slide 2 Signing in Introduction to the workshop, housekeeping and overview of learning outcomes. minutes sheet Agree a group contract or ground rules. flipchart & markers

Setting the scene 5 Invite parents to consider the following: ‘What is a drug?’ before calling out minutes suggestions. Conclusion: A drug is any substance that alters the way you feel, think or behave. This includes legal and illegal substances. Slides 3 - 4 Show and explain Slide 3 and 4, using the information given.

Legislation 5 Slides 5 - 7 Talk through slides 11-13, using the information below each slide for guidance. minutes

#myth1 All young people try drugs 7 Slides 8 - 10 Show slide 8, making the point that although if you listen to the media and minutes watch TV etc it would appear that all young people take drugs, the reality is that they don’t. Stress the importance of promoting this message to challenge what can become an assumption about the acceptability of drinking and using drugs amongst young people, e.g. everyone is doing it, so therefore I should. The truth is that some young people (and some adults) choose to take drugs, but the majority don’t. Many people drink alcohol, but lots don’t for a wide variety of reasons including faith, culture, health or because they simply don’t like the taste. Show slide 9, which contains local facts and figures. Ask parents:  Can these figures be believed?  Do you think they are likely to be higher or lower?  Why / why not? Show slide10, which has national statistics, then ask:  Who is most likely to offer young people their first sip of alcohol? Answer: parents or a family member, e.g. at a wedding, to celebrate Christmas, with dinner etc.  Who do you think is most likely to offer young people drugs? Answer: friends or older siblings, NOT a stereotypical drug dealer. Reflect on this and then move on to suggest that parents behaviour around alcohol provides a role model for their children, as well as what they see on TV and in the media. By giving their children alcohol parents are arguably endorsing it.

#myth2 Only people with problems take drugs 10 Slides 11 - 13 Flipchart paper Challenge this with the information given on slide 11, stressing that lots of minutes and marker factors contribute to an individuals decision to drink or take drugs and the pens importance of parental attitudes in shaping the views of their children. Point out that perpetuating this myth can mean that children or young people get overlooked as they are not deemed to have ‘problems’ and therefore not vulnerable to drugs, which is simply not true. Facilitate Exercise 1 on slide 12, which asks parents to discuss and identify reasons why someone might make unhealthy choices, for example to relax, to feel good, to be sociable etc. These can be listed on flipchart paper to feedback. Invite a nominee from each group to share some of their ideas and then show slide 13 to see if these are listed here amongst the many reasons that other people gave. Ask: Are these reasons or excuses? Conclude that whilst you can’t always tell your child what to do, as they grow older, you can try to encourage them to make healthy, positive choices. An understanding of some of the reasons why people do or do not drink, smoke or take drugs, helps.

Alcohol 20 Slides 14 - 17 Bottles & cans Present slides 14-15 inviting comments as you go through them. minutes Low tack sticky labels Ask if anyone knows the guidelines for safer adult alcohol consumption and take Sticky notes suggestions before showing slide 16. Congratulate those that said no more than Pens 14 units a week for men and women and refer to the proposed changes in drinking guidelines (January 2016) from the UK Chief Medical Officer. A summary can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/4 89795/summary.pdf This gives more details about the risks to health from

©Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People 2016 14 Parental Drug Awareness Workshop Toolkit alcohol. Stress that there are no safer limits for under 18’s. Now move on to ask if anyone has noticed the empty tins and bottles on the table (or alternatively hand them out now). Explain that in the previous slide we talked about units of alcohol and the guidelines for lower risk drinking. This next activity is going to see how much we know about units and define what they mean. The task for each group is to look at the bottles and cans on their table and then assess or guess how many units of alcohol is in each WITHOUT removing the sticky label that covers the correct number. Allow up to five minutes for discussion and then instruct a volunteer from each group to write the guess onto a sticky note and stick it on the bottle or tin. Once all groups have completed the task invite them to take off the sticky labels to compare their estimates with the actual number of units of alcohol in a full container. Allow time for a quick discussion about any surprises, any they got right and which drinks contain the highest number of units. Examples are likely to include higher strength lager and cider, which can contain up to 3.5 units in one can. Encourage people to reflect on things like the number of units consumed by the average household over a celebratory time, such as Christmas, and compare with the 14 units a week outlined in the new guidelines, to include at least two non-drinking days per week. Conclude that as a society the UK has one of the highest consumption levels in Europe. Show slide 17 to reinforce learning and explain the factors that influence the impact of alcohol on children and young people. No drinking is 100% safe but the guidelines are there for adults only. There are no such guidelines for under Slide 18 Flipchart paper 18’s. Drinking at home where you pour straight from the bottle, or drinking as and marker young people tend to in unmeasured quantities, can mean drinking more than pens intended. This in turn can increase the likelihood of things like alcohol related injuries, risk taking behaviour (including unprotected sex), cause damage to short and longer-term health and impair judgement.

#myth3 ways to sober up Ask parents to call out ways they have heard for sobering up if you have drunk too much alcohol, or even a few too many. List these on flipchart paper and swiftly discuss before revealing slide 18, which makes the point that nothing can sober you up, apart from time as your body processes it.

Cannabis 20 Slides 19 - 24 Use slide 19 to introduce the topic of cannabis, inviting parents to call out any minutes additional names they have heard used for it. Conclude that cannabis is not a new drug. It has been used for 100’s of years and called different things. It is produced from the dried flowering heads and sticky buds, leaves and stems of the Cannabis satvia plant. #myth4 cannabis is harmless There are lots of myths about the harm that cannabis use can cause (show slide 20) and horror stories as well as an ongoing debate about its medicinal properties. Reinforce that cannabis is illegal and there are no plans to legalise it. Read out the questions from the Cannabis Quiz (5 in total) on slide 21 and ask parents if they think the statement read is true or false. Explain the answers, using the additional information given in the notes section. The law regarding the control of cannabis under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act is outlined on slide 22. Point out that this applies to stronger cannabis, often referred to as Skunk as well.

Novel Psychoactive Substances (Legal Highs) 15 Slides 25 - 26 ‘Poison’ bottle Hold up the bottle marked ‘Poison’ and ask who would be willing to take it. minutes Explain you got it off the internet and you have read that it is supposed to be totally safe and give the user a quick, cheap high better than anything experienced ever before. Embellish this story as you like and then stop and point out that this is exactly what people do everyday when they buy drugs or unknown substances off the internet, at a music festival or in a ‘head’ shop. This bottle may be marked poison so we would all probably steer clear, but many legal highs contain ingredients that are unknown, untested and could be dangerous. Use slide 26 to give basic information about what Novel Psychoactive Substances are, pointing out that there are so many different ones that change Slides 27 - 29 all of the time to keep one step ahead of the law that it is impossible to know all of the names, hence the collective term. #myth5 legal means safe Reinforce that the chemicals in so called legal highs have not gone through any tests to ensure they are safe, and many get around the law by explicitly stating that they are not for human consumption. There has also been no long term health research undertaken yet, so it is unknown what may happen in the future too. Ask, ‘Why might someone choose to take a legal high?’ Answers are likely to include the fact that it is legal, which offers the opportunity to point out that the government is constantly reviewing the legality of different substances and changing the legal status accordingly. This means that they may contain an illegal substance, which if found could result in a fine, court appearance and / or a criminal record. There is more information about the effects of different types Slides 30 - 33 of legal highs on slide 28 and the known problems and concerns on slide 29. 10 Conclude that the best advice is to avoid legal highs – you don’t know what they minutes

©Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People 2016 17 Parental Drug Awareness Workshop Toolkit contain, no one knows what affect they may have on health (both short and long Facilities to term) and they may turn out to be illegal. 3.55 play a short Nitrous Oxide - OPTIONAL minutes film Slides 30 - 33 give information about Nitrous Oxide, which currently has no age restrictions to buy and is legal. This may well change, but currently it is very popular and often inhaled using a balloon. There is also a short film produced by Channel 4 News that can be watched. ‘Laughing gas vendors: having a laugh at the law's expense?’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0p8oLMS2ck

#myth6 you can tell if someone is using drugs 7 Slides 34 - 35 Reinforce that it is impossible to know who will or will not choose to try drugs, minutes despite the health risks being widely publicised and the legal deterrents. Those who misuse drugs and / or alcohol can become very good at hiding it, even from close friends and family, so it is easy to miss potential indicators. Explain that the potential indicators listed on slide 35 are just that, indicators. There could be many other reasons, including the general turbulence of adolescence, which could account for young people presenting with similar things. Stress the importance of not jumping to conclusions but instead keeping a watchful eye and being curious about any changes you perceive. Slide 36 #myth7 you must be an expert to talk about drugs Suggest that parents are experts on their own children and that it is this relationship that will enable them to talk about making positive, healthy choices, not expertise in drugs knowledge. Point out that no one person can know everything about drugs and alcohol – it is too broad a subject – so having basic knowledge and the will to talk and listen can be enough.

What can parents do? 15 Slides 37 - 41 Leaflets and Slides 37 – 41 outline the key challenges for talking to your child or children minutes information about drugs at home, before offering simple strategies for opening up about drug and conversations that are honest, credible and hopefully effective. The key points to alcohol stress are: services for children and 1. Knowing the potential indicators that someone is misusing drugs or alcohol is young people useful but it is important to remember that things like moodiness, arguments, in Herts, as sulking or becoming withdrawn, along with changes in friendship groups, a well as family lack of concentration and motivation are also typical of adolescence. The support message is to keep a watchful eye, without making accusations. available. 2. Take opportunities to talk about drugs and alcohol informally, rather than saving it up for one big talk. Research suggests this is far more effective and increases the likelihood of your child coming to you if there is a problem. 3. Avoid scare tactics and horror stories. Your child only has to disprove what you say once to cast doubt on everything else. 4. You don’t need to be a drugs expert. Learn some basic knowledge and know where to go to get more. 5. Be aware of the role model you provide for your children, for example what do they learn about alcohol from watching you? 6. Set rules and boundaries and take time to explain what your values are and why. Then encourage your child to tell you what they think and show you are listening. Accept that adolescence is a time of experimentation but remind your child that despite what they see or read not all young people take drugs and that it is OK to say no. 7. Don’t keep asking them if they have or haven’t been offered drugs, if they know people that take them, where etc. – show some trust and reinforce good decisions made with praise.

8. If you are worried or know for a fact that your child has been drinking or is taking drugs get help fast. Early intervention has been shown to work in reducing the likelihood of things escalating. We have organisations and services in Hertfordshire specifically for young people and support for parents too. Give everyone an A-DASH leaflet and direct them to other leaflets you have with information about other services available.

Conclusion 5 Slide 42 Parental Drug Thank everyone for coming, remind them that this has been a very brief minutes Awareness introduction to a very wide topic. Suggest that they try out the inclusive Information strategies by taking home the Drug Information Sheet you are handing out Sheet inviting their children to comment on it and share their opinions. Evaluation Give out the details of where to go for more information one last time by forms and showing slide 42 and finish by asking parents to complete an evaluation form. pens Collect this in before they leave to review later and inform your evaluation for planning the next workshop. Optional: Invite parents to stay behind to ask questions or discuss issues further.

SECTION C – WHERE TO GO FOR MORE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT

4. Local drug and alcohol support services Adolescent Drug & Alcohol Service for Hertfordshire (A-DASH) www.hpft.nhs.uk - Type ‘A-DASH’ into the search engine to find information about available support. Alternatively: Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Telephone: 01992 531971 Parental Drug Awareness Service (PDAS) Call 01707 393934 For schools in Hertfordshire: The Healthy Schools team would like to draw your attention to a fabulous opportunity funded by HCC that complements the free Drug Ed surgeries for staff we are offering, to provide a FREE to schools, Drugs Ed awareness session to our Healthy Schools parents. Contact: Jayne Wright - PSHE and Healthy Schools Adviser [email protected]

5. National organisations If you have immediate concerns or a child needs medical assistance then dial 999 for emergency services. Alcohol Concern www.alcoholconcern.org.uk - National agency for alcohol misuse and alcohol-related problems Drinkline Call 0300 123 1110 NHS Direct http://www.nhs.uk/pages/home.aspx- Provides help and advice on any aspect of drug and alcohol use, call 111 Talk To Frank www.talktofrank.com - Provides an A-Z of drugs plus free and confidential drugs information and advice line, call 0300 123 6600

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