Drug education

Parents, caregivers and other adults are important role models for children when it comes to drug education. Children watch and copy what these important adults say and do.

Many parents think their children will ask about drugs when they need to know something but children may not always take the first step. It’s up to you to raise the topic.

Keeping the lines of communication open between you and your child will make it easier for you both to have a clear understanding of each other’s attitude to drugs.
 

What parents can do

For parents of children up to 8 years
Drug education for young children focuses on topics such as medicines and hazard substances, alternatives to pain reliever, caffeine and energy drinks and passive smoking. Here are some information sheets with ideas for activities to do at home.

• Safety check
• Pain relievers update
• Using emergency services
• What do we think about smoking?
• Passive smoking
• Considering caffeine and energy drinks

For parents of children up to 12 years
Drug education for children at this age is often on alternatives to pain reliever, tobacco, caffeine and energy drinks, alcohol and in cannabis. Here are some information sheets with ideas for activities to do at home.

• Pain relievers
• Families who want smoke-free children
• Influences to smoke – helping your child be a non-smoker
• Do attitudes affect smoking behaviour?
• Family rules about alcohol
• Making alcohol related decisions
• Caffeine and energy drinks
• Let’s talk about cannabis

For parents of teenagers up to 18 years
Here are some information sheets on tobacco, alcohol and ideas on how your teenager can stay safer while socialising.

• Tobacco - be smart, don’t start
• Alcohol and your teenager
• An update on legal and illegal drugs
• Safer socialising
 

Leavers  

Leavers encourages positive experiences for both school leavers and host communities during the end-of-school celebrations. The project aims to identify, promote and support local communities' strategies to reduce harm to school leavers, the host community and schools during school leavers' celebrations.

For further information about Leavers, contact the Office of Crime Prevention, WA on (08) 92229761 or visit the website www.leaverswa.com.au.
 

Other websites

These websites will give you information on a range of topics including talking about drugs with your child, current statistics about drug use in Western Australia and support services available to discuss drug use issues.

• Alcohol and Drug Information Service
http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/Default.aspx?tabid=69
• Facts about alcohol and other drugs
http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/tabid/176/Default.aspx
• Local Drug Action Groups
www.localdrugaction.com.au
• Parent Drug Information Service
http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/Gettinghelp/Helpforparentsandfamilies/ParentDrugInformationService.aspx

• Talking tactics together – an interactive family drug education program for parents and their primary school aged children

http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/stratman/Policy/schoolgov/druged/TTT.pdf
• 2008 Australian School Students Alcohol and Drug Survey (ASSAD) WA results
http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/Publications/tabid/99/DMXModule/427/Default.aspx?EntryId=1138