Supporting Healthy Choices, Preventing Substance Use

Briefing Paper for Parents and Carers (January 2020)

Smithton Primary School is smoke-free and substance aware. The health, wellbeing and future life of our school community is really important to us.

Smithton Primary School is a member of Scotland’s Charter for a Tobacco Free Generation and the 2018/2019 Gold winner of the Highland Substance Aware School Award!

Protecting and promoting the health and wellbeing of young people is one of our goals. All school staff have a vital role to play in supporting and nurturing young people to make healthy life decisions.

We support the United Nations Convention the Rights of the Child that explains every child has the right to the best possible health and the right to effective education on health and wellbeing.

Ways we will support our school to be smoke-free and substance aware:

Provide substance prevention education to help young people make informed choices on tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and health.

Support the ethos of our Smoke-free and Substance Aware Policy Encourage our pupils to make healthy choices Teach our pupils to be resilient Signpost people to support if required Act appropriately to breaches of the policy

What can parents and carers to do support this?

The biggest influence on children are their parents/carers. The wider family and community also play an important role.

What children and young people see, hear and experience can influence their attitudes. As role models, it is really important to avoid saying and doing things that might lead to smoking, drinking or other drug use, being seen as the norm, desirable, or an effective way of coping with stress.

To support children and young people to make healthy decisions, parents, carers, family members, and friends can:

Avoid smoking, drinking excessively, or using other drugs in front of children and young people

Only smoke outdoors, every time. Take It Right Outside. Not buy tobacco, alcohol or other drugs in front

of children and young people Not buy tobacco or alcohol for children and

young people (proxy purchasing) Not give tobacco, alcohol or other drugs to

children or young people Hide tobacco, alcohol or other drugs from children and young people Avoid suggesting benefits of smoking / drinking / other drug use and

continuing myths around smoking / drinking / other drug use (for example as a way to cope or provide stress relief, for weight loss, as necessary to have fun)

Further information and support can be found at these sites:

Smoke free Highlandwww.smokefreehighland.co.uk Here you will find information to help you if you are thinking about stopping smoking, or if you are someone who wants to help or encourage someone you know to stop smoking or if you want to make your home and car smoke free. H-SATwww.h-sat.co.ukThe Highland Substance Awareness Toolkit is an online resource for young people, parents / carers, and professionals, providing information about tobacco, alcohol and drugs. Lesson plans are available.

HADP – Help & Supportwww.highland-adp.org.uk/getting-helpHighland Alcohol & Drugs Partnership (HADP) developed this website to give you information relating to drugs and alcohol in the Highland area.