Our substance abuse prevention programmes start in years 5/6 to equip young people with the skills to avoid drug and alcohol misuse before they need it.
One way that addiction and substance abuse can be prevented is through early intervention programmes that affect behaviour and attitudes towards drugs and other harmful substances. Prevention must begin during childhood and extend into later adolescence. Life Skills Education provide a range of early intervention tools from ages 9 through to 16 years designed specifically to target substance misuse in young adults.
The information that our programmes give to young people about the dangers of tobacco/nicotine, alcohol and other drug abuse can be extremely influential in helping to prevent addiction and reduce substance abuse. This is achieved by helping children undertsand the risks and consequences of their actions, how to effectively make good decisions and resist peer pressure.
The Life Skills Education substance abuse prevention approach focuses on helping young people develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to make good choices or avoid harmful behaviours.
Every Life Skills Education programme includes our unique SKILL Decision Making Model
Parents often don’t have the confidence or knowledge in order to teach children about drugs and alcohol. We encourage parents to be involved in the programme by attending a parent/carer information briefing at the beginning of the course, by encouraging and working with children on their course homework and by providing feedback on the course and attending the graduation.
School and community based prevention programmes can help young people:
Resist social pressures to engage in substance use
Strenghten self-esteem
Improve decision-making and communication skills
Manage stress and anxiety
SOME EXCELLENT RESOURCES AROUND THE TOPIC OF Substance Abuse Prevention.
Talk to Frank
Talk to Frank is a government initiative to help debunk the myths around drugs. It is a great place to find out honest facts about substance misuse prevention.
If you need help for drug addiction, you can access the NHS in the same way as anyone else with a health problem. With the right help and support, it’s possible for you to get drug free.
Healthcare professionals can use these guidance documents, information and resources to help with providing and improving drug misuse prevention and treatment services.
Prevention services are a crucial investment in the future. If we support more young people today, there will be reduced need for substance-related treatment services in the future.
