A review of substance use education in fifty secondary schools in South Wales

Abstract

Objective To review substance use education in secondary schools in four local authority areas in South Wales to identify good practice and to explore the barriers to good practice.

Design Qualitative and quantitative observational study.

Setting Secondary schools in South Wales.

Method Semi-structured interview with teachers responsible for coordinating substance use education in 50 (100 per cent) secondary schools in four local authority areas.

Results All 50 schools (100 per cent) provided substance use education but only 21 (42 per cent) had a written policy. All schools delivered substance use education at key stage 3 and 46 (92 per cent) at key stage 4 with the time allocated varying from 30 minutes to 6 hours per year at key stage 3 and one and a half hours to 7 hours at key stage 4. Models of delivery varied considerably from form tutor based programmes to stable teams of Personal and Social Education Programme (PSE) staff. PSE coordinators' confidence in programme delivery was greater in those schools with stable PSE teams than in those with other delivery models. Guest speakers were invited to contribute to programmes in 37 (74 per cent) schools.

Conclusion The lack of a clear overall philosophy and written policy underpinning the delivery of substance use education in many schools limits the ability of these schools to achieve the maximum potential from the time invested. There were wide variations in the time allocated, training of teachers delivering the programme, and age of introduction of topic areas. Schools frequently relied on guest speakers to deliver their programme. The implications for a co-ordinated approach to substance use education and the provision of further guidance are discussed.

Keywords

alcohol drugs schools health promotion substance use

References

Department of Education and Science. Health Education in Schools. London: HMSO , 1977.

National Curriculum Council. Curriculum Guidance 5: Health Education. York National Curriculum Council, 1990.

Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs. Drug education in schools: The need for a new impetus. London : HMSO,1993.

Welsh Office Drug Misuse: Prevention and Schools. Welsh Office Circular 54/95. Cardiff: Welsh Office Education Department, 1995.

Department for Education. Drug Prevention and Schools. Circular Number 4/95. London: Department for Education, 1995.

Department for Education and Employment. Protectitlgyottttg people: Good Practice in drug education in schools and the youth service. Suffolk: DfEE Publications, 1998.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain. London: HMSO,1998.

Welsh Drug and Alcohol Unit. A Strategic Prevention Action Plan for Drugs and Alcohol in Wales. Cardiff: Welsh Office, 1997.

Drug Education Forum. The Right Choice. Guidance on selecting drug education materials for schools. London : Standing Conference on Drug Abuse, 1988.

10.

Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). Drug Education in Schools: a report from the Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools. London: HMSO, 1997.

11.

White D. , Pitts M. Health Promotion with Young People for the Prevention of Substance Misuse. Health Promotion Effectiveness Review. London: Health Education Authority, 1997.

12.

Dorn N. , Murji K. Drug Prevention: a Review of the English Language Literature. ISDD Research Monograph 5. London: Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence, 1992.

13.

Roberts J. , Bishop JA Review of Sex Education Programmes in Schools. Pontypridd , Wales: Rhondda NHS Trust, Specialist Health Promotion Service,1997.

14.

Whitear BA , Brown S. A Review of Sex Education Programmes in Secondary Schools. Cardiff: Cardiff Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Health Promotion Service, 1998.

15.

Brown S. , Jones E. Sex Education Programmes in Secondary Schools. Merthyr Tydfil, Wales: North Glamorgan NHS Trust, 1998.

16.

Keene J. , Woolgrove M. Drug Education: a study of different professional perspectives in one English county. Health Education journal 1997: 56: 146-53.

17.

Dawson H. A study of the drug education and training activities undertaken by the providers of drug education and training in South Glamorgan. MSc thesis . Cardiff: University of Wales College of Medicine, Institute for Health Promotion, 1995 .

18.

Parker H. , Aldridge J. , Measham F. Illegal Leisure. The normalisation of adolescent recreational drug use. London: Routledge,1998.

19.

Health Promotion Wales. Young People in Wales: Lifestyle Changes 1986-1996. Technical Report No 24. Cardiff: Health Promotion Wales, 1997.

20.

Health Promotion Wales. The Impact of Alcopops on drinking patterns of Young People in Wales: Findings from the 1996 Welsh Youth Health Survey. Briefing Report No 12. Cardiff: Health Promotion Wales, 1997.