School Staff Can Work with Parents to Prevent Substance Abuse

This series of web pages describes how schools and school staff can work with parents to prevent substance abuse.

In these pages we first provide overviews of the research on prevention and treatment/rehabilitation. (Educators always like to know if the suggestions being considered are based on solid research evidence.)

Secondly, we provide a number of ways that educators can enhance the effectiveness of their school in prevention. In approaching schools and educators, parents need to recognize the time, funding and other constraints that educators face these days while still proposing that the school can work on instruction, referrals to treatment services, overall school climate, engaging students and involving parents.

Parents can use the opportunity of presentations and meetings with parents to suggest that the school address these issues as a community; students, educators and parents. The best vehicle for picking up on that opportunity after the presentation or meeting will be the local Home & School Association and/or the official Parent Advisory Committee. Approach them with one or two of the strategies for school improvement suggested here.

For some general school-community planning tools related to health overall, go to these resources:

- Overview of CSH Planning (Canadian Association for School Health)

- Build Your Own CSH School (CAHPERD)

- Voices & Choices Survey and Planning Tool (Public Health Agency of Canada)

- What Is It All About (Australia)

- How to gather Information Part One (Australia)

- How to gather Information Part Two (Australia)

- Promoting Health in Second Level Schools in Europe: A Practical Guide (WHO)

- School Health Starter Kit (CCSSO)

- How to increase understanding of the health promoting approach (Australia)

- How to let people know (Australia)

Compendium of Best Practices in Preventing SA among Youth