National Drug Education Strategy

Background

Harmful drug use in our society continues to be a major source of concern to its members and there is a clear demand for the issue to be broadly addressed. All governments recognise that there is a real need provide a safe environment for young people, including school students, and to address parent's concerns about the impact of drugs on their families. It is vital that Australia's young people, and those who work and interact with them, have the information, strategies and skills to prevent or reduce the harm that can arise from their own drug use and drug use of others.

For school students, drug use may adversely affect not only their physical and emotional health but also their chances of maintaining a current and life-long connection with education, achieving their full potential academically and living fulfilled and well adjusted lives.

The potential adverse health affects of all drugs, including alcohol and tobacco and other substances such as inhalants, are well documented. It is therefore important to take action to enhance resilience and prevent drug experimentation and use by our school students and be able to respond to harm that may arise.

Schools acknowledge, both in principle and in practice, their partnership role in addressing a number of societal issues, through the provision of a safe school environment and the implementation of curriculum, policy and programs, including the provision of student welfare services. While it can not be expected that they work in isolation, they are clearly a critical place for drug education and ideally, the messages delivered in schools will be reinforced and supported by parents and the wider community.

Whole of Government Approach to school Drug Education

The Council of Australian Governments agreed in April 1999 to strengthen its attack on drug pushers and its response to drug use within schools through the development of enhanced protocols on a national basis and associated supporting materials for management of drug issues and drug related incidents in schools.

National School Drug Education Strategy

The National School Drug Education Strategy forms one of a number of National Drug Action Plans to be developed under the National Drug Strategic framework. The Plans set out priorities for reducing the harm arising from the use of illicit and unsanctioned drugs; strategies for taking action on these priorities; and performance indicators.

The National School Drug Education Strategy was developed on the basis of a collaborative, inter-sectoral coordinated approach to drug education and reflects consideration of the issues raised by stakeholder groups in the initial consultations. It is consistent with the principals for school drug education set out in the National Drug Strategic Framework and the Strategy's activities are underpinned by a list of principles set out in the Strategy document.

This Strategy does not attempt to direct the activities of States/Territories, and recognises that they have primary responsibility for this area. States and territories already have strategies in place for the delivery of school drug education and the management of drug related incidents in their jurisdiction.

Goal

The goal of the National School Drug Education Strategy is 'no illicit drugs in schools'.

The National School Drug Education Strategy strengthens the provision of educational programs and supportive environments which contribute to the goal of no illicit drugs in schools. This goal is based on the belief that illicit and other unsanctioned drug use in schools is unacceptable. The focus is on educational outcomes. assisting students with drug related problems and deterring the presence and use of unsanctioned drugs in schools will also be addressed.

Implementation

The Commonwealth and the States and Territories will work together with key stakeholders to develop the detailed implementation of the measures to help schools respond to illicit and unsanctioned drug use. Total funding of $27.3 million over four years will be provided through the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs for these measures under the educational component of the National Illicit Drug Strategy.

Under the strategy, a proportion of the funding each financial year will be available for discretionary nationally strategic projects, particularly in relation to key areas identified by the Commonwealth. These include informing and involving parents, school and community partnerships, research, evaluation and addressing the needs of targeted groups and regions.

A proportion of the funding is to be allocated to government and non government education jurisdictions to develop and enhance school drug education programs. The funding is for educational authorities to conduct activities that are catalytic, encourage innovation and good practice. These funds will be additional to those provided by States and Territories and others for drug education activities in schools. All schools, government and non government are to benefit from the funding.

Each State and Territory has established a cross-sectoral School Drug Education Coordinating Committee to develop and manage the projects to ensure the involvement of all school sectors, teacher and professional associations, parent organisations, health and law enforcement agencies and other community groups.