Early Intervention Programme Substance Education

Guidance for Use of Visitors in Schools

Substance education is a shared responsibility for the whole community; what is learned in schools/colleges/youth centres should be supported by experiences at home and in the community. It is therefore sometimes appropriate to involve external visitors from outside agencies; this is not a substitute to school substance education but to support existing education already being undertaken.

The Education Act 1996 aims to ensure that children are not presented with just one side of political or controversial issues by their teachers. Therefore, it is important that teachers “ensure that pupils have access to balanced information and differing views on which they can clarify their own opinions and views, including contributions made by visitors to the class room …”Citizenship at Key Stages 3 and 4, initial guidance for school, QCDA(2000)

External visitors can

  • ●Form a link to the community and make a service more accessible (a visitor from a service can provide reassurance about confidentiality and be a friendly face for young people)
  • ●Offer specialist knowledge, experience and resource, though particular caution should be used when visitors have had firsthand experience of problematic substance use
  • ●Build relationships between services and young people (such as between the youth service and young people)
  • ●Provide curriculum enrichment (for example theatre in education)

Criminal Records Bureau

Schools are now expected to take all reasonable steps to assess the suitability of all visitors invited to work with pupils in school and where appropriate make sure visitors have been subject to a police check.

Many agencies working with schools/colleges will have completed all the necessary checks as part of the appointment process for their staff. This includes health professionals and members of educational projects such as rug education teams and advisory staff.

The visitor should be prepared to provide evidence they have an enhanced CRBcheck and have been given clearance.

Good Principles for:

Visitors

  • Should provide details of lesson content and resources to be used in session before the visit.
  • Should be aware of national and local approaches to substance education and PSHE and be able to show that they use evidence based strategies.
  • Should avoid shocking images and inappropriate descriptions of substance use. Research has consistently found that attempting to frighten young people away from using substances through fear-based approaches is ineffective (Prevention First, 2008)
  • Should be aware that this is a sensitive subject and can cause distress to young people who identify with substance issues whether their own/friends/families.
  • May be there to provide an alternative viewpoint to a subject and should be aware of/avoid offering one point of view on a controversial topic as if it were the only one.
  • Should build in enough time to reflect on the learning from the session with a teacher and other members of staff and where possible with the students.
  • Should ensure that they are using up to date resources, data and be aware of the key principles of effective drug education. ( )
  • Where the visitor is from the police service they should ensure that they are working to ACPOs Joining Forces guidance. ( )

Schools

  • Should check that the visitor is known to and recommended by Healthy Schools or DAAT
  • Should negotiate content with the visitors, to take account of class needs and ensure relevance i.e emotional and intellectual levels of young people and communicate at an appropriate level.
  • Shouldensure visitors have a clear understanding about aims and objectives of the session, and they should have an understanding of the school values and approaches to PSHE/Citizenship education.
  • They should also have seen and understood the school’s drug education policy, equality and diversity policy and safe guarding procedures.
  • Should ensure that visitors have been briefed on any particular issues that may be in the student group – these may include identitified substance issues by individual students or their families/carers.
  • Should ensure that when visitors are used the content of the session is linked back to the broader substance education and PSHE delivered by the school.
  • Should be aware of national and local approaches to substance education and PSHE and be able to show that they use evidence based strategies.

Teachers

  • Should ensure that they are using up to date resources, information and be aware of the key principles of effective drug education. ( )
  • Should be present at all times when a visitor is in the class, and be ready to be an active participant in these sessions.
  • Should ensure that the visitor’s input is being sought for sound educational reasons and that the visitor is the most appropriate source of that input.
  • Should ensure the contribution from the visitor is an integrated element of the curriculum, with appropriate planning, preparatory and follow-up work.
  • Should be alert to any distress caused or concerns raised in the session, ensuring that appropriate support is given, and should follow up any unresolved issues. Whenever needed, extend the learning begun by the visitor in a subsequent session.
  • Should be aware of national and local approaches to substance education and PSHE, and be able to show that they use evidence-based strategies.

This guidance was commissioned by the JCG to act as guidance for schools wishing to use external visitors to compliment their existing substance education.

Created by Micheala Dudley

Young People Drug and Alcohol Early Intervention Programme Worker

29.11.12

1