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School Drug Advisor| School Drug Advisor | School Drug Advisor
Geographical Area: Warwickshire
Age Range Min: 4
Age Range Max: 19
Gender Specific: no
| Culturally Specific: no
Method of Access: All pupils have access through the school they attend.
| | Description | The schools drug advisor has a wide ranging role within the Healthy Schools and Workplaces Team, advising, helping and supporting schools in developing their own drug policies and ensuring that local and national guidelines are met.
Using the ‘A drug guidance for Schools,’ document, the advisor will meet with Head teachers to agree what needs to be included in the school policy drug framework. Some schools will develop their own policies, with other schools, the advisor will spend half a day with the PHSE co-ordinator and assist in policy development. Training and training support (for schools running their own training sessions) in the drug related element of PHSE and Citizenship is offered either on a 1:1 basis or through group work. School site managers, newly qualified teachers, and those returning to teaching are kept up to date with drug awareness issues and any pupils at risk of drug misuse are offered support and assistance. Schools are supported with advice and guidance on curriculum issues with QCA guidance documents being cross-referenced to schemes of work, gaps identified, and development plans formulated.
When formulating school drugs policies, schools are advised to have a consultation period with the whole of the school community – pupils, teaching and non-teaching staff, governors and parents. Pupils and parents then agree the rules to be put in place, which mean that the rules have more of an impact. Many schools are now working together and supporting each other, when creating policies to ensure that all schools in an area have the same approaches on exclusion, structured interventions and re-integration.
To achieve accreditation in the Healthy Schools Scheme, schools have various tasks to carry out relating to drug and alcohol misuse. Tasks may be policy/curriculum related or involve using outside visitors for drug activities and the supporting these activities forms a large part of the drug advisor’s work.
The drug advisor also works with PRU’s and special schools supporting pupils and first line interventions and arranges training days for teachers and senior managers.
Schools are able to contact the advisor if a pupil has substance abuse issues. Different geographical areas within Warwickshire have different services for young people and 1:1 sessions can be given to the pupil who is then signposted with support to the appropriate agencies. Parents are also offered help and made aware of appropriate services. | | Objectives | The Warwickshire Health Promoting School Scheme (WHPSS) is a framework through which schools can develop a structured and focused approach to health initiatives and gain recognition and feedback on their achievements.
Its aims are:
to improve the physical and emotional health of children, young people and adults in Warwickshire through the school setting
to support the personal and social development of children and young people
to promote healthy lifestyles within their communities
to enhance pupil achievement and involvement in school life
to support the contribution schools can make to the meeting of local health targets
to celebrate success including the sharing of good practice between schools
to develop a more strategic whole school approach to promoting health
to meet the National Healthy School Standard
to promote partnership working and community development | | Staff Profile | | I drug advisor based in a team of teacher advisors and consultants in the Healthy Schools and Workplaces Team | | Linked Organisations | | The worker attends local networking and partnership meetings with the Police, Youth Offending Team and Connexions as well as National Health Education Group meetings. Close working links are in place with the Warwickshire Young Persons Substance Misuse Team and CDT's, Family and Friends in Leamington Spa and Parents and Drugs in Stratford. |
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