%0 Generic %A Mentor ADEPSIS, %C London %D 2017 %F ndc:28085 %I Mentor ADEPSIS %T Updating your drugs policy to include NPS. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/28085/ %X In previous briefing papers, Mentor looked at the impact of new psychoactive substances on public health and drugs education. Schools and practitioners should also update their drugs policy to take account of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). Every school’s drugs policy should include new psychoactive substances (NPS), formerly known as “legal highs,” as these drugs have had harmful effects on young people and some school communities. Schools have a statutory obligation to protect the welfare of their students, so they must maintain accountability by updating their drugs policy accordingly, particularly considering increasing numbers of school exclusions related to drugs and alcohol. Briefing papers are part of a series produced by Mentor-ADEPIS on alcohol and drug education and prevention, for teachers and practitioners. %0 Report %@ HRB Drug and Alcohol Evidence Review 5 %A Bates, Geoff %A Jones, Lisa %A Cochrane, Madeleine %A Pendlebury, Marissa %A Sumnall, Harry %B %C Dublin %D 2017 %F ndc:27253 %I Health Research Board %T The effectiveness of interventions related to the use of illicit drugs: prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. A ‘review of reviews’. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27253/ %0 Report %A MacNamee, Padraig %A Breen, Julie %A Byrnes, Elaine %A O'Higgins, Siobhan %A Seery, Chiara %A Silke, Charlotte %B %C Galway %D 2017 %F ndc:27515 %I National University of Ireland, Galway %T Development, implementation, and evaluation of the SMART consent workshop on sexual consent for third level students. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27515/ %0 Generic %C London %D 2017 %F ndc:27384 %I Drug and Alcohol Findings %N 5 May 2017 %T Intervention targets personality traits of high-risk London pupils. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27384/ %X School staff trained to deliver personality-targeted substance use interventions to London high school pupils – effectively delaying cannabis use among a subset (those identified as ‘sensation-seekers’). Key points from summary and commentary • The Adventure Trial tested the impact of personality-relevant coping skills on cannabis use among London high school pupils. • High-risk young people were allocated to receive an intervention matched to their specific vulnerabilities (‘hopelessness’, ‘anxiety-sensitivity’, ‘impulsivity’, or ‘sensation-seeking’). • Cannabis use was effectively delayed only among a subset – those identified as ‘sensation-seekers’ %0 Report %A McMahon, Elaine M %A O’Regan, Grace %A Corcoran, Paul %A Arensman, Ella %A Cannon, Mary %A Williamson, Eileen %A Keeley, Helen %B %C Cork %D 2017 %F ndc:27153 %I National Suicide Research Foundation %T Young lives in Ireland: a school-based study of mental health and suicide prevention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27153/ %X Globally, mental disorders are the largest cause of disability among those aged 10-24 years (1), with approximately half of all mental disorders emerging during adolescence, broadly the period between the ages of 12 and 18 (2-5). Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people (6) and in Ireland peak rates of hospital-treated self-harm are among 20-24 year old males and 15-19 year old females (7). Connecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020, has identified young people aged 15-24 as a priority group at whom to target approaches to reduce suicidal behaviour and improve mental health (Goal 3, page 29) (8). Youth suicide prevention programmes are often based in a school setting. However, high-quality evidence has been limited, in both an Irish and international setting, to identify the true impact of suicide prevention interventions (9). In particular, no randomised controlled trials of school-based prevention programmes examining changes in suicidal behaviour had been conducted anywhere in Europe prior to the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) study. In this report we present the research findings of the SEYLE study, a mental health-promoting programme for adolescents in European schools (10). The study participants, 11,110 adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years old, were recruited from randomly selected mainstream second-level schools in ten European countries. The study was a randomised controlled trial (RCT) that aimed to identify an effective method of promoting adolescent mental health and decreasing suicidal thoughts and behaviours. A second aim was to gather information on the lifestyles and mental health of adolescents in order to identify risk and protective factors associated with suicidal behaviour. In this report we present both overall findings of the multi-centre trial and detailed findings on the mental health and lifestyles of Irish youth using data from the Irish study centre. In addition, this report details a range of risk and protective factors associated with mental ill-health and suicidal behaviour in Irish adolescents. The SEYLE trial identified one school-based intervention, Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), that was associated with a significantly lower number of subsequent suicide attempts and suicidal ideation compared to the control intervention (10). YAM is a brief, universal mental health awareness programme that was delivered in the classroom over a four-week period and includes role-play sessions, interactive lectures and workshops. The programme aimed to improve the mental health literacy and coping skills of young people, to raise awareness of risk and protective factors associated with suicide, and to enhance young people’s knowledge about mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. %0 Generic %A Sumnall, Harry %A Percy, Andrew %A Cole, Jon C %A Murphy, Lynn %A Foxcroft, David %C Southampton %D 2017 %F ndc:27520 %I National Institute for Health Research %N 2 %T Steps towards alcohol misuse prevention programme (STAMPP): a school and community based cluster randomised controlled trial. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27520/ %V 5 %X BACKGROUND: Alcohol use in young people remains a public health concern, with adverse impacts on outcomes such as health, well-being, education and relationships. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a combined classroom curriculum and parental intervention on self-reported alcohol use [heavy episodic drinking (HED)] and alcohol-related harms (indicators such as getting into fights after drinking, poorer school performance and trouble with friends and family). DESIGN: A two-arm, cluster randomised controlled trial with schools as the unit of randomisation. SETTING: A total of 105 post-primary schools in Northern Ireland (NI) and Glasgow/Inverclyde Educational Authority areas. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 12,738 male and female secondary school students (intervention delivered when students were in school year 9 in NI or S2 in Scotland in the academic year 2012–13 and aged 12–13 years) were randomised. Randomisation and baseline (T0) surveys took place when children were in school year 8 or S1. Schools were randomised (1 : 1) by an independent statistician to the Steps Towards Alcohol Misuse Prevention Programme (STAMPP) or to education as normal (EAN). All schools were stratified by free school meal provision. Schools in NI were also stratified by school type (male/female/coeducational). INTERVENTIONS: STAMPP combined a school-based alcohol harm reduction curriculum [an adapted version of the School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Project (SHAHRP)] and a brief parental intervention designed to support parents in setting family rules around drinking. The classroom component comprised two phases delivered over 2 years, and the parental component comprised a standardised presentation delivered by a trained facilitator at specially arranged parent evenings on school premises. This was followed up a few weeks later by an information leaflet mailed to all intervention pupils’ parents highlighting the main points of the evening. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Self-reported HED (defined as self-reported consumption of ≥ 6 units in a single episode in the previous 30 days for male students and ≥ 4.5 units for female students) assessed at 33 months from baseline (T3); and (2) the number of self-reported harms (harms caused by own drinking) assessed at T3. DATA SOURCES: Self-completed pupil questionnaires. RESULTS: At final follow-up (T3), data were available for 5160 intervention and 5073 control pupils for the HED outcome, and for 5234 intervention and 5146 control pupils for the self-reported harms outcome. The intervention reduced self-reported HED compared with EAN (p < 0.001), but did not reduce self-reported harms associated with own drinking. The odds ratio for the intervention effect on HED was 0.596 (standard error 0.0596, 95% confidence interval 0.490 to 0.725). The mean cost of delivery per school was £818 and the mean cost per individual was £15. There were no clear cost savings in terms of service utilisation associated with the intervention. The process evaluation showed that the classroom component engaged and was enjoyed by pupils, and was valued by teachers. Schools, students, intervention trainers and delivery staff (teachers) were not blind to study condition. Data collection was undertaken by a team of researchers that included the trial manager and research assistants, some of whom were not blinded to study condition. Data analysis of primary and secondary outcomes was undertaken by the trial statistician, who was blinded to the study condition. LIMITATIONS: Although the classroom component was largely delivered as intended, there was very low attendance at the parent/carer event; however, all intervention pupils’ parents/carers received an intervention leaflet. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this trial provide some support for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of STAMPP in reducing heavy episodic (binge) drinking, but not in reducing self-reported alcohol-related harms, in young people over a 33-month follow-up period. As there was low uptake of the parental component, it is uncertain whether or not the intervention effect was accounted for by the classroom component alone. %0 Generic %A Mentor ADEPSIS, %C London %D 2017 %F ndc:27553 %I Mentor ADEPSIS %T School-based alcohol and drug education and prevention – what works? %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27553/ %X This briefing paper intends to equip and guide those working in educational settings when considering which alcohol and drug education and prevention programme they should run. It outlines some approaches that evidence shows work and cautions on some that don’t. The briefing paper aims to enable educators to make a more informed decision when selecting an approach that will ensure maximum impact and ensure young people receive the most appropriate education and prevention programme that will enable them to build their resilience to risks. %0 Report %9 Other %A Department of Education and Skills, %B %C Dublin %D 2017 %F ndc:27255 %I Department of Education and Skills %T Action plan for education 2017. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27255/ %0 Generic %C London %D 2017 %F ndc:26930 %I Drug and Alcohol Findings %N January–March 2017 %T It’s magic: prevent substance use problems without mentioning drugs. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/26930/ %0 Generic %A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, %A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, %A World Health Organization, %C Paris %D 2017 %F ndc:27033 %I UNESCO %T Education sector responses to the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27033/ %X This booklet provides the context and rationale for improved education sector responses to the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs among children and young people, with a focus on primary and secondary education sectors. It presents evidence-based and promising policies and practice, including practical examples from different regions that have been shown to be effective by scientific research. It also suggests issues for the education sector to consider in sustaining and scaling up effective approaches and programmes to tackle substance use. %0 Generic %A Warren, Fran %C Edinburgh %D 2016 %F ndc:26557 %I Scottish Government %T ‘What works’ in drug education and prevention? %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/26557/ %X This literature review provides background on what is meant by prevention and education and discusses the evidence base. The evidence of effectiveness for different approaches used in schools and other components necessary for effective drug prevention and education in schools is presented. The effectiveness of drug education and prevention beyond the school setting is then considered, alongside the evidence to support peer led interventions and specific programmes for vulnerable young people. Specific manualised and licensed prevention programmes are considered and some of the issues and challenges involved in implementing these programmes in different contexts is discussed. The evidence for ineffective approaches to drug prevention is highlighted and lastly recommendations from the literature for policy makers are set out, alongside some thoughts on the implications of this review for drug education and prevention in Scotland, in particular the need to map prevention activity for young people being delivered in Scotland. %0 Generic %A Das, Jai K %A Salam, Rehana %A Arshad, Ahmed %A Finkelstein, Yaron %A Bhutta, Zulfiqar A %D 2016 %F ndc:26168 %I Elsevier %N 4 supp %T Interventions for adolescent substance abuse: an overview of systematic reviews. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/26168/ %V 59 %X Many unhealthy behaviors often begin during adolescence and represent major public health challenges. Substance abuse has a major impact on individuals, families, and communities, as its effects are cumulative, contributing to costly social, physical, and mental health problems. We conducted an overview of systematic reviews to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to prevent substance abuse among adolescents. We report findings from a total of 46 systematic reviews focusing on interventions for smoking/tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, and combined substance abuse. Our overview findings suggest that among smoking/tobacco interventions, school-based prevention programs and family-based intensive interventions typically addressing family functioning are effective in reducing smoking. Mass media campaigns are also effective given that these were of reasonable intensity over extensive periods of time. Among interventions for alcohol use, school-based alcohol prevention interventions have been associated with reduced frequency of drinking, while family-based interventions have a small but persistent effect on alcohol misuse among adolescents. For drug abuse, school-based interventions based on a combination of social competence and social influence approaches have shown protective effects against drugs and cannabis use. Among the interventions targeting combined substance abuse, school-based primary prevention programs are effective. Evidence from Internet-based interventions, policy initiatives, and incentives appears to be mixed and needs further research. Future research should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of specific interventions components with standardized intervention and outcome measures. Various delivery platforms, including digital platforms and policy initiative, have the potential to improve substance abuse outcomes among adolescents; however, these require further research. %0 Generic %A Mentor ADEPSIS, %C London %D 2016 %F ndc:26314 %I Mentor %T Preventing children and young people’s mental health and substance use problems. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/26314/ %X This briefing paper is part of a series produced by Mentor ADEPIS on alcohol and drug education and prevention, for teachers and practitioners. It intends to provide teachers, educators and the wider school workforce with practical guidelines on how to prevent children and young people from developing mental health problems as a result of alcohol and drug misuse. %0 Journal Article %@ ISSN 1465-9891 print/ISSN 1475-9942 online %A Harvey, Seamus A %A McKay, Michael T %A Sumnall, Harry %D 2016 %F ndc:25571 %I Informa healthcare %J Journal of Substance Use %N 6 %T Adolescents’ reflections on school-based alcohol education in the United Kingdom: education as usual compared with a structured harm reduction intervention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/25571/ %V 21 %0 Generic %D 2016 %F ndc:25901 %I n/a %N 22 March 2016 %T To curb student drinking, focus on social losses from heavy drinking and health gains from moderation. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/25901/ %X To moderate student drinking, tell them about the embarrassment and social losses they might suffer from heavy drinking, but when it comes to health, focus on the gains from not drinking heavily. Key points from summary and commentary: Alcohol vignettes featured a former student who went out with friends and experienced social or health consequences from drinking. The consequences were presented using either a gain frame (ie, positives of not drinking heavily) or loss frame (ie, negatives of drinking heavily). The social–gain frame vignette featured a student who was able to more easily converse with others, leading to a future date with an attractive member of the opposite sex. The student in the health–gain frame vignette talked about feeling good the day after going out, and the health benefits of moderate drinking (eg, lower risk of heart disease). The social–loss vignette featured a student who drank so much that he or she vomited in front of an attractive member of the opposite sex. The student in the health–loss vignette blacked out and was taken to the hospital for fear of alcohol poisoning %0 Generic %A Carney, Tara %A Myers, Bronwyn %A Louw, Johann %A Okwundu, Charles I %C London %D 2016 %F ndc:14921 %I John Wiley & Sons, Ltd %N 1 %T Brief school-based interventions and behavioural outcomes for substance-using adolescents. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/14921/ %X Key results: For outcomes that concern substance use, the studies assessed use of alcohol and cannabis. When compared to information provision, brief interventions are probably not more efficacious in reducing substance use or delinquent behaviour. When compared to assessment-only controls, the interventions may have some significant effects on substance use and behaviours. At short-term follow-up, brief interventions significantly reduced cannabis frequency in one study. At medium-term follow-up, brief interventions significantly reduced frequency of alcohol use, alcohol abuse and dependence symptoms, and cannabis abuse symptoms in one study. At long-term follow-up, brief interventions significantly reduced alcohol abuse, cannabis frequency, and cannabis abuse and dependence symptoms in one study. The pattern of results indicates that adolescents who received a brief intervention generally did better in reducing their alcohol and cannabis use than adolescents who received no intervention at all. However, adolescents who received a brief intervention did not seem to do better in reducing their alcohol and cannabis use than adolescents who received information-only interventions. It is therefore premature to make definitive statements about the effectiveness of brief school-based interventions for reducing adolescent substance use. %0 Report %A National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, %B %C Dublin %D 2016 %F ndc:25858 %I National Council for Curriculum and Assessment %T Draft guideline for wellbeing in junior cycle. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/25858/ %0 Generic %A Foxcroft, David %A Moreira, Maria Teresa %A Almeida Santimano, Nerissa ML %A Smith, Lesley A %C London %D 2015 %F ndc:23378 %I John Wiley & Sons, Ltd %T Social norms information for alcohol misuse in university and college students. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/23378/ %V Issue 12 %0 Generic %A European Drug Prevention Quality Standards, %D 2015 %F ndc:24582 %I n/a %T European Drug Prevention Quality Standards (EDPQS) toolkits to support quality in prevention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24582/ %X As a result of a 2-year project to develop practical tools which could support practitioners, policy-makers and other members of the prevention community to achieve quality in prevention based on the EDPQS. %0 Generic %A Buhler, Anneke %A Thrul, Johannes %A European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, %C Luxembourg %D 2015 %F ndc:24540 %I Publications Office of the European Union %T Prevention of addictive behaviours. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24540/ %X This publication is an update of Prevention of substance abuse, published in 2007. Like the previous analysis, it is a translation of a German study that presents a state-of-the-art review of prevention science. Although originally targeted at the German audience, the evidence base addressed is global in its scope. The review is broad in its considerations, covering not only the main topic of drug abuse but also alcohol and tobacco, as well as behavioural addictions, such as gambling. Table of contents: • Foreword to the English version • Summary • Chapter 1: Introduction • Chapter 2: Methodology • Chapter 3: Results • Chapter 4: Discussion • References / Glossary %0 Generic %A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, %C Vienna %D 2015 %F ndc:19481 %I United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime %T International standards on drug use prevention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19481/ %X Prevention strategies based on scientific evidence working with families, schools, and communities can ensure that children and youth, especially the most marginalized and poor, grow and stay healthy and safe into adulthood and old age. For every dollar spent on prevention, at least ten can be saved in future health, social and crime costs. These global International Standards summarize the currently available scientific evidence, describing interventions and policies that have been found to result in positive prevention outcomes and their characteristics. Concurrently, the global International Standards identify the major components and features of an effective national drug prevention system. It is our hope that the International Standards will assist policy makers worldwide to develop programmes, policies and systems that are a truly effective investment in the future of children, youth, families and communities. This work builds on and recognizes the work of many other organizations (e.g. EMCDDA, CCSA, CICAD, Mentor, NIDA, WHO) which have previously developed standards and guidelines on various aspects of drug prevention. [For appendices, click on website link above] %Z Minor editorial amendments have been made to this publication, however the content remains the same as the earlier version, first published in 2013. %0 Generic %A Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service, %C London %D 2015 %F ndc:24076 %I Mentor ADEPSIS %T Delivering alcohol and drug education: advice for teachers. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24076/ %X What are the underlying principles of alcohol and drug education? And what are the best teaching methods to use when delivering alcohol and drug education in your classroom? This briefing paper provides advice and tips for teachers and educators responsible for delivering alcohol and drug education. %0 Report %A Smyth, Emer %A McCoy, Selina %A Kingston, Gillian %B %C Dublin %D 2015 %F ndc:25567 %I Economic and Social Research Institute %T Learning from the evaluation of DEIS. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/25567/ %0 Report %A Sneddon, Helga %B %C Ilford %D 2015 %F ndc:25674 %I Barnardos %T LifeSkills substance misuse prevention programme: evaluation of implementation and outcomes in the UK. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/25674/ %0 Generic %A Faggiano, Fabrizio %A Minozzi, Silvia %A Versino, Elisabetta %A Buscemi, Daria %C London %D 2014 %F ndc:23203 %I John Wiley & Sons, Ltd %N 12 %T Universal school-based prevention for illicit drug use. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/23203/ %0 Generic %A Coppo, Alessandro %A Rosaria Galanti, Maria %A Buscemi, Daria %A Giordano, Livia %A Faggiano, Fabrizio %C London %D 2014 %F ndc:18242 %I John Wiley & Sons, Ltd %T School policies for preventing smoking among young people. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18242/ %V 10 %0 Generic %A Institute of Health Equity, %C London %D 2014 %F ndc:22757 %I Public Health England %T Building children and young people’s resilience in schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/22757/ %X Summary 1. Resilience is the capacity to bounce back from adversity. Protective factors increase resilience, whereas risk factors increase vulnerability. Resilient individuals, families and communities are more able to deal with difficulties and adversities than those with less resilience. 2. Those who are resilient do well despite adversity, although it does not imply that those who are resilient are unharmed – they often have poorer outcomes than those who have low-risk background but less resilience. This applies to health outcomes and affects success in a range of areas of life across the life course. Evidence shows that resilience could contribute to healthy behaviours, higher qualifications and skills, better employment, better mental well-being, and a quicker or more successful recovery from illness. 3. Resilience is not an innate feature of some people’s personalities. Resilience and adversity are distributed unequally across the population, and are related to broader socio-economic inequalities which have common causes – the inequities in power, money and resources that shape the conditions in which people live and their opportunities, experiences and relationships. 4. Those who face the most adversity are least likely to have the resources necessary to build resilience. This ‘double burden’ means that inequalities in resilience are likely to contribute to health inequalities. 5. Schools have a key opportunity to build resilience among children and young people, and there is a range of ways in which local authorities can support and encourage schools to take action. 6. Actions to increase resilience can be targeted at different levels - they can aim to increase achievements of pupils; to support them through transitions and encourage healthy behaviours; to promote better interpersonal relationships between people – particularly parents or carers and children; and to create more supportive, cohesive schools that support both pupils and the wider community. %0 Report %9 Other %A Working Group on educational materials for use in SPHE in post-primary schools and centres for education, %B %C Dublin %D 2014 %F ndc:22264 %I Department of Education and Skills %T Report of the Working Group on educational materials for use in SPHE in post-primary schools and centres for education with particular reference to substance use education in the context of SPHE. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/22264/ %0 Generic %A National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, %C London %D 2014 %F ndc:18912 %I National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence %T Reducing substance misuse among vulnerable children and young people overview. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18912/ %X NICE Pathways is an online tool for health and social care professionals that brings together all related NICE guidance and associated products in a set of interactive topic-based diagrams. Visually representing everything NICE has said on a particular topic, the pathways enable you to see at a glance all of NICE's recommendations on a specific clinical or health topic. There are sections on: • Working with vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people • Preventing alcohol-use disorders • Smoking prevention and cessation in schools %0 Generic %A Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service, %C London %D 2014 %F ndc:24070 %I Mentor ADEPSIS %T Efficient needs assessment in schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24070/ %0 Report %9 Government Publication %A Ireland. Department of Education and Skills, %B %C Dublin %D 2014 %F ndc:21391 %I Department of Education and Skills %T Results of the Department of Education and Skills ‘lifeskills’ survey, 2012. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/21391/ %X Contents 1. Introduction 2. Main findings: primary school responses p.4 2.1. Healthy Eating 2.2. Physical Activity 2.3. Substance use 2.4. Relationships and sexuality education 2.5. Child Protection 2.6. Anti – bullying 2.7. Student Councils 2.8. Road Safety 3. Main findings: post primary school responses p.7 3.1. Healthy Eating 3.2. Physical Activity 3.3. Substance Use 3.4. Relationships and sexuality education 3.5. Child Protection 3.6. Anti-Bullying 3.7. Student Councils 3.8. Road Safety 4. Conclusions p.12 4.1 Positive findings 4.2 Challenges identified 4.3 Opportunities identified 2.3. Substance use Schools are very active in relation to promoting awareness of drug and alcohol abuse. 88% of respondents (n=2089) have a Substance Use policy in place, which represents a one percentage point increase on the position in 2009. Approximately 94% of respondent schools (n=2035) reported using the Walk Tall programme. This is an increase of two percentage points since 2009. A similarly high proportion of respondent schools provide information to their pupils, through the curriculum, on the health risks associated with smoking (94%, n=2041), promoting awareness of and combating alcohol abuse (90%, n=2030), and promoting awareness of and how to combat drug abuse (90%, n=2019). Almost all respondent schools reported that they provide information to their pupils to enable them to make sound decisions in relation to these substances (99%, n=2043), and also to resist inappropriate peer pressure (99%, n=2042). These results are in line with those from 2009. It is not possible to express as a percentage the number of schools who engaged external agencies to support them in communicating to students on the topic of substance abuse. However, of the 771 schools who specified which agency they engaged for this purpose, the most frequently used, by 54% of respondents, was An Garda Síochána. %0 Journal Article %A Keane, Martin %D 2014 %F ndc:21215 %I Health Research Board %J Drugnet Ireland %P 17 %T Substance use prevention education in schools: an update on actions in the drugs strategy. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/21215/ %V Issue 48, Winter 2013 %0 Journal Article %@ 1067-828X %A Apantaku-Olajide, Tunde %A James, Philip %A Smyth, Bobby P %D 2014 %F ndc:21868 %I Taylor & Francis %J Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse %N 3 %P 169-176 %T Association of educational attainment and adolescent substance use disorder in a clinical sample. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/21868/ %V 23 %X This study explores substance use, psychosocial problems, and the relationships to educational status in 193 adolescents (school dropouts, 63; alternative education, 46; mainstream students, 84) who attended a substance abuse treatment facility in Dublin, Ireland. The study found that the 3 groups exhibited statistically significant differences in their substance use problems, with the school dropouts displaying significantly more problems. The need for early detection and intervention of at-risk students, and collaborative interagency work aimed at addressing substance use, cannot be overemphasized as strategies to ultimately prevent school dropout. %0 Report %A Darcy, Clay %B %C Dublin %D 2014 %F ndc:27958 %I Bray Youth Service & Bray Drugs Awareness Forum %T School based drug education and prevention programme (S.B.D.E.P.P) for 6th class pupils. Resource manual for youth workers. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27958/ %0 Generic %A Langford, Rebecca %A Bonnell, Christopher P %A Jones, Hayley E %A Pouliou, Theodora %A Murphy, Simon M %A Waters, Elizabeth %A Komro, Kelli A %A Gibbs, Lisa F %A Magnus, Daniel %A Campbell, Rona %D 2014 %F ndc:21780 %I n/a %T The WHO Health Promoting School framework for improving the health and well-being of students and their academic achievement. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 4. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/21780/ %0 Report %9 Other %@ ISBN 978-1-909100-98-5 %A Mackay, M %A Vincenten, J %B %C Birmingham %D 2014 %F ndc:21574 %I European Child Safety Alliance %T National action to address child intentional injury - 2014. Europe summary. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/21574/ %X The report describes the prevalence of intentional injuries to children in the European Union, including maltreatment, peer to peer violence and self-directed violence, and examines the level of uptake of national level policies to address intentional child injuries in over 25 Member States. This is the first time that national actions to address child intentional injury are being comprehensively assessed and reported on in the EU. Within the report are individual country policy profiles for each of the participating Member States: Austria, Belgium (Flanders only), Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden and the United Kingdom (England and Scotland only). %0 Generic %A Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service, %C London %D 2014 %F ndc:23759 %I Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service %T Quality standards for effective alcohol and drug education. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/23759/ %X Each set of standards has been produced for a specific target group: 1. Delivering effective alcohol and drug education in the classroom as part of a planned UK PSHE programme: Primary and secondary schools, independent practitioners or anyone else delivering alcohol and drug education, in formal or informal environments. 2. School context for effective alcohol and drug education: School leaders and governing bodies, as well as other members of staff in primary and secondary schools – including free schools, academies, private schools, and faith schools – responsible for, or involved in the delivery of alcohol and drug education or policy. 3. Staff policies and safeguarding: External agencies delivering alcohol and drug education within schools and employing staff and/or volunteers. What are the aims of the standards? • To help schools and others assess their own practice, in and outside the classroom, and make the case for appropriate support and resources. • To help external providers of drug education assess their own practice and convey their aims, methodology, and approach to schools. • To help schools have clearer expectations of external contributors, choose those that deliver to a high standard, and work more effectively with them. The quality standards will help schools and practitioners: 1- Meet their statutory obligation to promote children’s wellbeing and develop a healthy environment. 2- Meet their statutory obligations to deliver alcohol and drug education. 3- Provide evidence of effectiveness for UK Ofsted inspections. %0 Report %9 Other %@ HRB drug and alcohol evidence review 2 %A Munton, Tony %A Wedlock, Elaine %A Gomersall, Alan %B %C Dublin %D 2014 %F ndc:23079 %I Health Research Board %T The efficacy and effectiveness of drug and alcohol abuse prevention programmes delivered outside of school settings. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/23079/ %0 Generic %A Adfam, %C London %D 2013 %F ndc:20890 %I Adfam %T Identifying and supporting children affected by parental substance use. Resource for schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20890/ %X How can schools identify and support pupils affected by parental substance misuse? This resource has been developed for the UK Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (ADEPIS) by Adfam, the national umbrella organisation for those working with and for families affected by drugs and alcohol, and is intended to be a useful tool to help schools in safeguarding their pupils. ADEPIS is a project funded by the UK Department for Education which aims to provide good practice and evidence-based examples, and useful resources for the delivery of effective drug and alcohol education in schools. %0 Generic %A Adfam, %C London %D 2013 %F ndc:24072 %I Mentor ADEPSIS %T Identifying and supporting children affected by parental substance misuse – Resource for schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24072/ %X How can schools identify and support pupils affected by parental substance misuse? This resource has been developed for the Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (ADEPIS) by Adfam, the national umbrella organisation for those working with and for families affected by drugs and alcohol, and is intended to be a useful tool to help schools in safeguarding their pupils. The purpose of this resource: When schools and teachers think about ‘drugs’, they may often initially focus on incidents on school grounds and how to respond to them, students at risk of using substances, or perhaps about drug education. However, substance use can impact the lives of young people in many ways, especially if they are affected by problematic drug or alcohol use in their own homes. This resource aims to summarise the key issues for children affected by parental substance use, and how schools can consider supporting them. It is aimed primarily at school governors and headteachers, but will also be relevant to members of staff with particular pastoral care duties, including school nurses, Education Welfare Officers, and anyone identified as a Designated Senior Person (DSP) for child protection in schools. Key messages: • Parental substance use is not a problem that schools can ‘solve’ alone, nor is it an issue they should turn a blind eye to • Schools have both the responsibility and the ability to support children affected by parental substance use • Safeguarding is a matter of child welfare, not drug and alcohol expertise • Existing structures/policies cover most of this work already, but added focus is needed %0 Generic %A Drug and Alcohol Findings, %C London %D 2013 %F ndc:20659 %I Drug and Alcohol Findings %T Effectiveness Bank Bulletin [School-based prevention programmes]. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20659/ %V 30 Sep %X School-based programmes that seem to work: Useful research on substance use prevention or suspicious stories of success? Pape H. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs: 2009, 26(6), p. 521–535. According to a commentator, this "trenchant critique" of the evidence for school-based alcohol and drug prevention curricula is "unfortunately, largely on target". The focus is on methodological concerns which might undermine positive findings, and on whether these survive a programme's transplantation to real-world conditions. Summary School-based prevention programmes targeted at adolescent substance use rarely seem to have the desired effects on behaviour. Some outcome studies do conclude that such programmes have been successful, but they are relatively few. Nevertheless the body of published research in this field may originate from unrealistic optimism due to publication bias and underreporting of no or counterproductive effects. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the literature is biased in favour of studies with positive findings. Moreover, nearly all the studies have been carried out by programme developers, and it is well known that researchers with vested interests are more likely to bring 'good news' than independent researchers. Rather than approaching the field with critical reflection, some evaluators have intended to prove that school-based prevention works and have conducted their research accordingly. Examples of questionable analytical approaches and selective reporting of positive findings are consequently not hard to find. The external validity of evaluation studies with favourable outcomes is also often questionable because almost exclusively they have assessed the effects of programmes delivered under optimal rather than real-life conditions. In conclusion, the empirical 'evidence' in favour of school-based substance use prevention programmes is generally weak and does not permit a recommendation for the widespread dissemination of any specific programme. School-based programmes might instead be diverted from the unrealistic objective of reducing pupils' substance use to factual teaching. A more appropriate target for education which seeks to reduce alcohol-related harm might be to engender support for truly effective prevention policies such as raising prices and restricting availability. %0 Generic %A Drug and Alcohol Findings, %D 2013 %F ndc:20419 %I Drug and Alcohol Findings %T Effectiveness Bank Bulletin [Harm reduction school drug education]. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20419/ %V 15 Jul %X Alcohol prevention: What can be expected of a harm reduction focused school drug education programme? Midford R., Cahill H., Ramsden R. et al. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy: 2012, 19(2), p. 102–110. In Australia, alcohol outcomes from a secondary school harm reduction curriculum covering legal and illegal drugs strengthened the case that such education can not only curb harms, but also reduce consumption. Results suggest this approach might offer a more fruitful focus for education about commonly used substances than simply promoting non-use. Summary The featured report documented post-programme alcohol-related outcomes from a small study evaluating a harm reduction model of drug, alcohol and tobacco education in Australian secondary schools. Three schools were allocated to the tested programme and a fourth to act as a control school which carried on with normal lessons. All schools had pupil populations within the average range of socioeconomic status. Of 930 year-eight pupils (typically 13 years old) in the schools, 521 completed a baseline assessment after approval had been obtained from the pupils and their parents. Later that school year the first set of 12 harm reduction lessons was implemented by the schools' own teachers, after which pupils completed a follow-up assessment. Another ten lessons were delivered the following year after which 318 pupils completed the final follow-up, typically when they were aged 14–15 years. Programme teachers were trained for two days in each year of the programme. The tested curriculum incorporated learning strategies which aimed to: enhance knowledge; enhance negotiation skills; involve participants in rehearsing problem-solving and problem-prevention strategies; and engage them in deconstructing social pressures and perceived norms about levels of drug use. The curriculum was also informed by research which has identified social competence, problem-solving, autonomy and a sense of purpose as key attributes of resilient young people, and which has highlighted the importance of interactive and applied learning strategies in social and emotional learning. %0 Journal Article %A Keane, Martin %D 2013 %F ndc:20135 %I Health Research Board %J Drugnet Ireland %P 14 %T Guidelines for promoting mental health and suicide prevention in post-primary schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20135/ %V Issue 46, Summer 2013 %0 Report %9 Other %A Department of Education and Skills; Health Service Executive;Department of Health interdepartmental sub-group, %B %C Dublin %D 2013 %F ndc:19228 %I Department of Education and Skills; Health Service Executive & Department of Health %T Well-being in post primary schools. Guidelines for mental health promotion and suicide prevention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19228/ %X Section 1: introduction p.1 Section 2: mental health promotion and suicide prevention 5 Section 3: school support for all: a whole-school approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention p.13 Section 4: school support for some: a whole-school approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention p.31 Section 5: school support for a few: a whole-school approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention p.35 Section 6: support for schools: addressing mental health promotion and suicide prevention p. 43 Conclusion p. 51 References p.52 %0 Report %A Department of Education and Skills, %B %C Dublin %D 2013 %F ndc:24895 %I Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills %T Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24895/ %0 Report %A Department of Education and Skills, %B %C Dublin %D 2013 %F ndc:24970 %I Evaluation Support and Research Unit and Department of Education and Skills %T Looking at social, personal and health education. Teaching and learning in post-primary schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/24970/ %0 Generic %9 Other %A United Kingdom. Home Office, %C London %D 2013 %F ndc:20386 %I Home Office %T Addressing youth violence and gangs. Practical advice for schools and colleges. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20386/ %X The vast majority of young people and education establishments will not be affected by serious violence or gangs. However, where these problems do occur there will almost certainly be a significant impact. Schools, both primary and secondary, and colleges have a duty and a responsibility to protect their pupils and students. It is also well established that success in learning is one of the most powerful indicators in the prevention of youth crime. Dealing with violence also helps attainment %0 Report %9 Other %A Kinlen, Louise %B %C Galway %D 2013 %F ndc:21606 %I Western Region Drugs Task Force %T Western Region Drugs Task Force multi-agency parents initiative: programme evaluation. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/21606/ %X This report presents the findings of an external evaluation of the Western Region Drugs Task Force Multi-agency Parents Initiative. The initiative commenced in Galway, in 2009 as a multi-agency and multi-disciplinary response to substance misuse education for parents within a school’s context. It arose as a response to requests from schools to various agencies to provide one-off talks. The initiative developed as a multi-agency programme, co-ordinated by the WRDTF and involving An Garda Síochána, the HSE (Drug Service/Health Promotion) and the Department of Education (SPHE Regional Manager). Secondary schools in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon were invited to take part, and, to date, 81 schools have participated. It involves an initial one-night introductory evening at which presentations are made by the four agencies, followed by a three-night parenting course. Key findings: 1. The schools who participated were very satisfied with the planning, content and delivery of the training in their schools. Whilst a few expressed some difficulties with recruiting parents, they were generally pleased with the attendance and spoke very positively about how the course was perceived among parents. 2. Through an analysis of the parents’ questionnaires, satisfaction levels were also very high among participants, with a strong appreciation expressed for the dedication of the trainers and hearing the perspectives of the various agencies. Some suggestions for improvement included: - More emphasis on similar training/topics for young people within school or in a similar format as the parents programme - Some felt the three-night course was too long - Many suggested other topics that could have been included, some of which are outside the remit of a substance misuse training programme 3. The interviews with stakeholders involved in the delivery of the initiative also spoke positively about their engagement in the programme and particularly welcomed the multi-agency aspect of it. They felt it offered a more holistic and integrated response and was very strong as a preventative initiative. Some issues identified included: - The linkages with the implementation of the SPHE curriculum within schools and the involvement of young people was identified by some as requiring strengthening - The objective of supporting schools in developing a substance misuse policy is one that appears to have been the most challenging. - The organisation of the initiative in such large geographical areas and including various agencies posed some logistical challenges . Some felt that pre-planning and organisation took up too much time and others felt that there was not sufficient work put into pre-planning. It was also suggested that more time could be spent on planning of content and approach. %0 Generic %A Martin, Kerry %A Nelson, Julie %A Lynch, Sarah %C Slough %D 2013 %F ndc:21008 %I National Foundation for Educational Research %T Effectiveness of school-based life-skills and alcohol education programmes: a review of the literature. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/21008/ %X The review explores: • the impact of alcohol education/life-skills programmes in developing school-age children’s: knowledge of, and attitudes towards, alcohol; skills (including confidence, assertiveness, resistance skills; decision-making, and ability to stay safe and healthy); and behaviours (particularly related to consumption patterns, including frequency of drinking and episodes of drunkenness) • which alcohol education/life-skills programmes offer greatest value for money • the processes that facilitate or inhibit the implementation, sustainability and impact of alcohol education/life-skills programmes. The review builds on a variety of previous literature reviews, which present a mixed picture of the effectiveness of alcohol education initiatives for school-aged pupils. For full details of these reviews, see Section 2 of the report. Review findings: Which programmes have greatest impact on children and young people? • Previous literature reviews of alcohol education and life-skills programmes present a mixed picture of their effectiveness for school-aged pupils. • There are difficulties in judging impact due to: − the challenge of generalising about effective programme ingredients − issues related to programme fidelity. If fidelity has not been investigated through a thorough process evaluation, it is difficult to ascertain whether outcomes are a result of the effectiveness (or otherwise) of the programme, or of the way in which it has been implemented. • This review found substantial evidence relating to the positive effects of school-based alcohol education and life-skills programmes on pupils’ alcohol related-knowledge. • Few of the sources specifically measured the impacts on pupils’ attitudes. Those that did, have variable and inconclusive findings. • There is little evidence of the effectiveness of alcohol education and life-skills programmes in improving pupils’ alcohol-related decision-making skills. • There is a degree of evidence of the effectiveness of alcohol education and life-skills programmes in reducing the frequency of alcohol consumption and episodes of drunkenness among school-aged children. There are, however, limitations to several of the research studies cited. Which programmes are most cost effective? • Very few studies have investigated the cost benefits of universal school-based alcohol education programmes. • There is some limited analysis of the costs incurred in running individual programmes, but no evidence as to how these compare to those of alternative programmes. • World Health Organisation research suggests that school-based alcohol education is not cost effective in reducing alcohol-related harm in any European region. In contrast, alcohol pricing and taxation policy are cost-effective throughout Europe. • However, some authors hypothesise that with just a very small effect size in reduced alcohol consumption rates among young people as a result of alcohol education programmes, the cost benefits to society could be substantial. • There is evidence of one targeted residential programme in the USA (ChalleNGe), and of one specialist drug and alcohol service in the UK that have provided substantial cost benefits to individuals and society. These are not universal alcohol education programmes however. What factors facilitate or inhibit the success of programmes? • Programmes are not always transferrable from one situation or context to another. There needs to be caution when transferring lessons from effective programmes. • Effective alcohol education curricula achieve a good balance between: accurate and consistent information giving and knowledge building; skills development; and sensitivity to factors influencing student attitudes and behaviours. • Effective teaching and learning approaches include those that are interactive rather than didactic. Passive teaching approaches are associated with less favourable results. • Course delivery by external professionals such as health workers and counsellors can sometimes lead to more positive outcomes than teacher-led delivery, and specialist school staff achieve more positive results than non-specialist teachers. • There is tentative, but inconclusive, evidence that effective programmes focus on prevention rather than sanction, and on harm-reduction rather than abstinence. The optimum age for effective exposure is unclear, but seems to be somewhere between the ages of 12 and 14. There is evidence that a series of short-duration interventions delivered through childhood, with booster sessions into adolescence, is an effective approach. Whatever age programmes are introduced, the cognitive expectations and teaching and learning approaches must be age appropriate. • Parents and families act as critical protective agents for young people. Where families have been included in interventions, results are usually positive. • In some instances, parental support is lacking. In such instances, schools have an increasingly important role to play in fulfilling a protective role. Finally, we present the key findings of our review in relation to the degree of evidence of impact for different pupil outcomes, using the following terms: substantial evidence of impact; degree of evidence of impact; only a little evidence of impact. Where we are able to, we comment on apparent facilitators or inhibitors of impact. %0 Generic %A National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, %C London %D 2013 %F ndc:20944 %I National Institute for Health and Care Excellence %T School-based interventions to prevent the uptake of smoking among children and young people. Evidence update 38 %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20944/ %X A summary of selected new evidence relevant to NICE public health guidance 23 ‘School-based interventions to prevent the uptake of smoking among children and young people’ (2010) [see related link below for full text] %0 Generic %A Stevens, Alex %A O'Brien, Kate %A Coulton, Simon %C Kent %D 2013 %F ndc:19871 %I University of Kent %T RisKit programme- operation manual. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19871/ %X The RisKit programme is a multi-component risk reduction programme for young people who are vulnerable to risks including drug and alcohol use, early and unprotected sex and offending. It has been developed in the project’s initiation phase from consultation with young people, a review of the research literature and interviews with local stakeholders. It has learnt much form the experience of KCA in delivering the enhanced intervention for young people on drugs and alcohol. %0 Generic %A Thomas, Roger E. %A McLellan, Julie %A Perera, Rafael %D 2013 %F ndc:19755 %I John Wiley & Sons, Ltd %T School-based programmes for preventing smoking. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19755/ %V 4 %X Increasing numbers of young people are smoking in developing and poorer countries. Programmes to prevent them starting to smoke have been delivered in schools over the past 40 years. We wanted to find out if they are effective. We identified 49 randomised controlled trials (over 140,000 school children) of interventions aiming to prevent children who had never smoked from becoming smokers. At longer than one year, there was a significant effect of the interventions in preventing young people from starting smoking. Programmes that used a social competence approach and those that combined a social competence with a social influence approach were found to be more effective than other programmes. However, at one year or less there was no overall effect, except for programmes which taught young people to be socially competent and to resist social influences. A smaller group of trials reported on the smoking status of all people in the class, whether or not they smoked at the start of the study. In these trials with follow-up of one year or less there was an overall small but significant effect favouring the controls. This continued after a year; for trials with follow-up longer than one year, those in the intervention groups smoked more than those in the control groups. When trials at low risk of bias from randomisation, or from losing participants, were examined separately, the conclusions remained the same. Programmes led by adults may be more effective than those led by young people. There is no evidence that delivering extra sessions makes the intervention more effective. %0 Report %9 Other %A Home Affairs Committee, %B %C London %D 2012 %F ndc:18933 %I The Stationery Office %T Home Affairs Committee - ninth report. Drugs: breaking the cycle. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18933/ %X Terms of Reference Key facts 1 Introduction Recommendations from the last Home Affairs Committee report on drugs policy  Drug driving  Increase in treatment places  Treatment in prisons  Prescribing diamorphine (heroin)  Education and prevention The aims of drugs policy 2 Global drugs policy o History of international drugs control o The unintended consequences of drugs policy o Current international drugs policy o The impact of globalisation on the drugs trade o The balloon effect o The environmental impact of drugs o Links between drugs, organised crime and terrorism o Human rights abuses 3 Education and prevention o Current levels of drug usage o Drug education in schools o Government focus on prevention and education o The Inter-Ministerial Group on Drugs 4 Treatment o Current treatment options  How do we determine the most effective methods of treating addicts?  OST: Methadone and buprenorphine Implementation of the Government's goal of recovery o Health and Wellbeing Boards o Payment by results o Prescription drugs 5 The legislative framework and law enforcement relating to drugs o Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 o Drug-related policing o UK assistance abroad o Money laundering o The impact of austerity on drug-related policing o Identifying drug-related crime o Drug Intervention Programme o Dedicated drug courts o New psychoactive substances o Use of the internet o The effect of having a drugs conviction o Cross-Departmental strategy 6 Drugs in prisons o Drug use in prisons o Availability of drugs in prisons o Drugs addiction treatment in prisons o Drug recovery wings and support on release o Abstinence or maintenance? o Breaking the cycle o Lack of reliable data 7 Alternatives to Prohibition? o Comparison with alcohol o Decriminalisation and Legalisation o Case study: Portugal o The legalisation of cannabis in Washington State and Colorado o Implications of discussing drugs policy - politics and the media. Appendix 1: Recommendations from the 2002 Home Affairs Committee report on drug policy: Paper by the House of Commons Library Annex 1: Some of the drugs available in the UK Conclusions and recommendations %0 Generic %A James, Claire %C London %D 2012 %F ndc:18994 %I Mentor %T Reviewing your drug and alcohol policy: a toolkit for schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18994/ %X This toolkit aims to facilitate the process of developing or revising a school‟s drug policy, making it an effective tool to safeguard the health and safety of pupils and others within school, and helping children and young people to be confident in making healthy choices outside school. The toolkit aims to be comprehensive but is not intended to be prescriptive: schools can choose to use only the parts which they find most useful, and are encouraged to adapt the materials to match their needs. %0 Generic %A Drug and Alcohol Findings, %D 2012 %F ndc:18403 %I Drug and Alcohol Findings %T Effectiveness Bank Bulletin [Brief preventive measures]. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18403/ %V 10 September 2012 %X 1. A brief image-based prevention intervention for adolescents. Werch C.E., Bian H., Moore M.J., et al. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: 2010, 24(1), p. 170–175. Across the sample, a brief face-to-face consultation highlighting how substance use might stop them becoming the sort of young adults they wanted to be generally did not prevent substance use among US high school pupils, but those already using substances were significantly more responsive, suggesting a selective if not a universal prevention role. Summary: The Behavior-Image Model approach to health promotion is based on the principle that portrayals of people attractive to the participant and their own improved possible future selves can integrate and motivate change in a range of activities which result in better health. Change is motivated by providing feedback on the participant's current health-related activities and their self-images, highlighting the discrepancy between them to foster commitment to setting goals to narrow this gap. Such interventions might prove more feasible for schools than single-target or lengthy programmes because in a short time they target multiple commonly used drugs and positive health promoting and personal development habits. Two previous studies (1; 2) evaluating image-based prevention interventions among adolescents found improved substance use and other outcomes particularly among those already using substances at the start of the studies. The featured article reports outcomes three months later in a third study. For the study 416 students (nearly two thirds girls) at a US school in grades intended for 15—17-year olds completed baseline questionnaires and were randomly assigned to the image-based intervention or to a control group who were simply given commercially available health promotion materials commonly used in schools. Of the 416, 87% completed the three-month follow-up. The image-based intervention called Planned Success delivered scripted messages which illustrated how health-promoting behaviours support positive social and self-images of a successful young adult attractive to the student, while behaviours which risk health do the opposite. Content was tailored to the individual's current health behaviours and the images most attractive to them. At the end they were given a 'goal plan' against which to make progress after the session. Sessions were delivered to individual pupils face-to-face by specially trained nurses and health educators and lasted about 20 minutes. Starting a week later, parents and guardian were sent three weekly mailings of five parent–youth cards with messages parallel to those given the children. 2. Are effects from a brief multiple behavior intervention for college students sustained over time? Werch C.E., Moore M.J., Bian H. et al. Preventive Medicine: 2010, 50, p. 30–34. At a US university students at first cut back their drinking and cannabis use in response to a brief face-to-face fitness consultation, but the gains were no longer apparent a year after intervention. Yet still at that time they had at least experienced more positive trends in how they felt than students who had just read a fitness brochure. Summary: The Behavior-Image Model approach to health promotion is based on the principle that portrayals of people attractive to the participant and their own improved possible future selves can integrate and motivate change in a range of activities which result in better health. Change is motivated by providing feedback on the participant's current health-related activities and their self-images, highlighting the discrepancy between them to foster commitment to setting goals to narrow this gap. An initial study evaluated three brief face-to-face, image-based interventions for college students conducted by fitness specialists. Over the following month several health-related activity domains and health-related quality of life significantly improved. The featured article reports outcomes 12 months later from a second such study which at three months found that a brief image-based intervention had led to reductions in various measures of drinking and cannabis use, improved exercise and sleep patterns, and enhanced spiritual and social health-related quality of life. For the study 18–21-year-old students at a public US university were recruited by adverts and announcements and paid for their participation. Of the 303 who volunteered, nearly all (299, of whom 60% were women) completed baseline questionnaires and were randomly assigned to then immediately participate in the image-based intervention or join a control group asked by a fitness specialist to read a standard brochure on fitness in a private office. %0 Generic %D 2012 %F ndc:17787 %I Drug and Alcohol Findings %T Effectiveness Bank Bulletin. [The good behavour game; classroom management technique] %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17787/ %V 15 Mar %X The Good Behavior Game and the future of prevention and treatment. Kellam S.G., Mackenzie A.C.L., Brown H.C. et al. Addiction Science and Clinical Practice: July 2011, p. 73–84. From the researchers involved in the trials, a practitioner-friendly account of research on the classroom management technique implemented in the first years of schooling which has led to remarkably strong and persistent impacts on substance use and other problems in later life. Summary From the researchers involved in the trials, a practitioner-friendly account of the first long-term randomised trial of the Good Behavior Game classroom management technique, a brief review of findings to date of ongoing replication trials, and the implications of this work for researchers, practitioners, advocates, and policymakers. As analysed in greater details by Findings, the main trial in the US city of Baltimore recorded some of the most substantial effects ever recorded from a school-based prevention programme. Unusually, it was able to test whether effects persisted through to young adulthood. The game is not a lesson as such, but a way of managing whole classes during lessons. It aims to socialise children to the role of being a school pupil and to reduce aggression or disruptive behaviour, known to be related to later substance use problems and dependence and antisocial behaviour. Children are divided into teams which can win prizes depending on the good behaviour of the team as a whole. In the Baltimore study, teams did not compete against each other; each could independently gain rewards. Class teachers used the research team's assessments of their pupils (themselves largely based on the teachers' ratings) to assign them to three teams with the same numbers of boys and girls, and of aggressive/disruptive or shy, socially isolated children. The good behaviour rules teams had to adhere to win prizes were displayed to the class. During a game period, a mark was placed on the chalkboard next to the name of a team whenever one of its members broke a rule. Teams won if they chalked up no more than four marks by the end of the game period. At first teachers announced the start of game periods, which occurred at no set time but initially for 10 minutes three times a week. Praise plus tangible rewards such as such as colourful stickers or rubbers were awarded immediately after the game. As the year continued, the game was played for longer periods and when pupils were working individually. In this way, it facilitated learning without competing for instructional time. As the school year progressed, the rewards changed from tangible and immediate to more abstract and deferred, such as gold stars and more time for enjoyable activities. The game treats the classroom as a community. The teacher is central, because he or she sets the rules for becoming a successful pupil and member of the community and determines whether each child succeeds or fails. It improves the precision with which the teacher conveys and the child receives these rules, and by doing so improves teacher-child interaction and the child's chances for success. In addition, in trials better behaved children were seen to influence and socially integrate children who behaved less well. The very first mandatory school year is a key a setting for preventive interventions because it represents a major transition for the child and the family, and is generally the first where children at all levels of risk can be found. In some US states, apart from registering the birth, it is the first required contact between children and any official system. It is for many children the first setting outside the home where they learn the social and behavioral skills they will need to succeed in school. Improved social adaptation to the classroom due to the way teachers socialise the children is expected to lead to better adaptation to other social fields later in life, which in turn will improve the child's psychological health in a mutually reinforcing cycle. %0 Generic %A The Drug Education Forum, %C London %D 2012 %F ndc:17232 %I The Drug Education Forum %T Beyond the lesson plan. Drug prevention and early intervention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17232/ %X Schools have a duty to promote the wellbeing of their pupils. They have a responsibility to help them manage risk, reducing the likelihood they can be harmed by the use of legal or illegal drugs. This briefing paper covers how a school's ethos, rules and early identification and interventions to address problems can be used to protect pupils from harm. It also addresses a number of tactics that have been shown to be ineffective. %0 Generic %A The Drug Education Forum, %C London %D 2012 %F ndc:17233 %I The Drug Education Forum %T Engaging parents in drug education in schools and in the community. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17233/ %X Parents have a strong influence over their children's decisions regarding drugs and alcohol, perhaps more than they realise. This paper describes some of the ways in which schools and other services can help parents deal with these issues, from simple information, to combining classroom work with their engagement with parents, to supporting parenting courses. %0 Generic %A The Drug Education Forum, %C London %D 2012 %F ndc:17231 %I The Drug Education Forum %T Principles for supporting school drug education. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17231/ %X Children and young people often find visitors to school a useful and informative part of their learning, but for visits to be successful there needs to be a shared understanding about the nature and content of the sessions. This paper is intended to set out principles that visitors and schools can consider applying to ensure better outcomes from using external support in a school's delivery of drug education. %0 Journal Article %@ 0790-9667 %A Brennan, Ciara %A McGilloway, Sinead %D 2012 %F ndc:18236 %I College of Psychiatry of Ireland %J Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine %N 1 %P 46-51 %T Suicide ideation, psychological adjustment and mental health service support: A screening study in an Irish secondary school sample. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18236/ %V 29 %X Objective: The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the extent of suicide ideation, psychological maladjustment and views of mental health service support in a sample of secondary school pupils. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a purposive sample of participants (n=93) recruited from a secondary school located in the south east of Ireland. Participants completed a Background Information Questionnaire (BIQ); the Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ);and the Reynolds Adolescence Adjustment Screening Inventory (RAASI). Results: Approximately 10% of participants displayed high levels of suicide ideation whilst one third reported having previously had suicidal thoughts; one quarter reported psychological adjustment difficulties, although these varied by age and sex. Participants’ drug use and their levels of parental closeness were both individual factors that significantly predicted both suicide ideation and psychological adjustment. Females reported higher levels of parental closeness than males. Forty per cent of respondents rated mental health support services as insufficient to meet their needs. Conclusion: The findings raise serious concerns about the extent of suicidal thoughts amongst young people in Ireland; they also highlight a potentially important role for parents in this regard. Further research should ascertain national prevalence rates whilst appropriate school-based mental health education/promotion and support services should also be implemented. %0 Report %9 Other %A COSC. The National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, %B %C Dublin %D 2012 %F ndc:18332 %I Cosc %T Awareness raising of domestic and sexual violence: a survey of post-primary schools in Ireland. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18332/ %X In order to inform the development and implementation of the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2010 – 2014, and to address the lack of any systematic collection of information on school activities on raising awareness of domestic and sexual violence, an overview was needed of the current situation with regard to post-primary schools' activities in Ireland in relation to such awareness raising. Cosc undertook a survey of awareness raising of domestic and sexual violence in post-primary schools in Ireland in 2008. The aim of the survey was to describe the extent to which school-based programmes raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence, how well the programmes cover such violence and the factors involved. This report gives the results of this survey and addresses the following questions. A. Do schools find school-based programmes such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)11 help to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence? • Does this depend on the school's particular circumstances (e.g. the size of the school, location, denomination involved, school type, etc)? • Is this facilitated by factors such as contact with SPHE Support Services and the importance the school attaches to areas such as SPHE in general? B. Do schools use outside facilitators to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence? The report is based on a representative sample of post-primary schools and the data were collected by computer aided telephone interviewing in 2009. %0 Generic %C Lisbon %D 2012 %F ndc:14013 %I European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction %T Evidence of efficacy: prevention interventions. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/14013/ %X This section summarises evidence about the effect of the most widespread prevention interventions. Prevention interventions are commonly classified in three categories: universal, selective and indicated interventions. In addition there are environmental approaches which are prevention measures that operate on the level of the social, formal and cultural norms tackling both licit and illicit drugs. Universal prevention targets the whole population, while selective prevention targets (vulnerable) groups, both with the aim of deterring or delaying the onset of substance use. Indicated prevention acts at the individual level to: prevent the development of a dependence; to stop progression, diminish the frequency; and consequently to prevent ’dangerous‘substance use. While this classification remains a valid analytical framework, we have opted to display the information according to the main target groups rather than the category of intervention provided, in order to follow the same methodological approach applied to other modules of this portal. Detailed information on the methodology used and the definition of terms can be found on the methodology page. The summary of findings are presented according to different types of settings: •Familes •School students •Community members •General population %0 Report %9 Other %A Ivers, Jo-Hanna H %A McLoughlin, Valerie %A Downes, Paul %B %C Dublin %D 2012 %F ndc:17335 %I CASPr %T Current Steps and future horizons for CASPr : review of CASPr North-East Inner City after schools project. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17335/ %X CASPr (Community Afterschools Project) is a community development agency whose overall mission is to counter educational disadvantage in Dublin’s North East Inner City in order to contribute to the elimination of poverty in their community. This review seeks to assess the quality and effects of CASPr’s work on children, parents and the local community, in order to guide CASPr’s future work and offer independent examination of CASPr’s activities. A review of the profile of the area of North East Inner City Dublin clearly indicates the area’s need for such a project, while international and Irish research illustrates the potential social and economic gains of investment to prevent early school leaving. Furthermore, based on international and Irish research on afterschool projects, it is evident that the potential benefits of such projects are with regard to a number of dimensions. These dimensions include afterschool projects to modify the impact of poverty, as a protective factor against early school leaving, as a space to foster social skills and social support for positive mental health in contexts of psychological stress. The potential benefits according to research is also with regard to helping overcome pupil fear of failure, to develop a positive climate of self directed learning which can also impact on a child’s language development and safety. Research further emphasises the potential of the Arts in afterschool projects, as well as its role in offering supports for parents minding children, while being cognisant of the importance of staff quality in producing better outcomes for children at risk of social exclusion. This evaluation of CASPr consisted of focus groups, individual interviews and qualitative questionnaires. Focus groups involved children currently attending the after school programme, a group of early school leavers currently attending a local alternative education programme and Home-School Liaison teachers. 26 individual interviews with children currently participating in CASPr were undertaken, approximately one quarter of the total sample of children attending CASPr. These interviews were based on an adaptation of indicators of satisfaction with a service adapted from McKeown et al (2001). 7 individual interviews with parents of children currently using the service took place, while 6 individual interviews with current CASPr staff were undertaken. 10 past participants of CASPr’s training programme provided questionnaire responses. %0 Journal Article %A Keane, Martin %D 2012 %F ndc:17691 %I Health Research Board %J Drugnet Ireland %P 14 %T Reducing alcohol-related harm: evaluation of a SHAHRP intervention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17691/ %V Issue 42, Summer 2012 %0 Generic %A Champion, Katrina E %A Newton, Nicola C %A Barrett, Emma L %A Teesson, Maree %C Sydney %D 2012 %F ndc:18396 %I National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre %T Online school-based prevention for alcohol and other drugs: a systematic review. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18396/ %X This poster presents the results of a review of 10 online school-based prevention programs. Aim: To identify Internet and computer-based prevention programs for alcohol and other drugs delivered in schools, and to determine the efficacy of these programs. Conclusion: The present results, together with the implementation advantages and high fidelity associated with new technology, suggest that programs facilitated by the Internet offer a promising delivery method for school-based prevention. %0 Generic %A Moreira, Maria T %A Oskrochi, Reza %A Foxcroft, David R %D 2012 %F ndc:26336 %I National Library for Public Health %N 9 %P e44120 %T Personalised normative feedback for preventing alcohol misuse in university students: Solomon three-group randomised controlled trial. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/26336/ %V 7 %X BACKGROUND: Young people tend to over-estimate peer group drinking levels. Personalised normative feedback (PNF) aims to correct this misperception by providing information about personal drinking levels and patterns compared with norms in similar aged peer groups. PNF is intended to raise motivation for behaviour change and has been highlighted for alcohol misuse prevention by the British Government Behavioural Insight Team. The objective of the trial was to assess the effectiveness of PNF with college students for the prevention of alcohol misuse. METHODOLOGY: Solomon three-group randomised controlled trial. 1751 students, from 22 British Universities, allocated to a PNF group, a normal control group, or a delayed measurement control group to allow assessment of any measurement effects. PNF was provided by email. Participants completed online questionnaires at baseline, 6- and 12-months (only 12-months for the delayed measurement controls). Drinking behaviour measures were (i) alcohol disorders; (ii) frequency; (iii) typical quantity, (iv) weekly consumption; (v) alcohol-related problems; (vi) perceived drinking norms; and (vii) positive alcohol expectancies. Analyses focused on high-risk drinkers, as well as all students, because of research evidence for the prevention paradox in student drinkers. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Follow-up rates were low, with only 50% and 40% responding at 6- and 12-months, respectively, though comparable to similar European studies. We found no evidence for any systematic attrition bias. Overall, statistical analyses with the high risk sub-sample, and for all students, showed no significant effects of the intervention, at either time-point, in a completed case analysis and a multiple imputation analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence for the effectiveness of PNF for the prevention of alcohol misuse and alcohol-related problems in a UK student population. %0 Report %9 Other %A United Kingdom. Department for Education, %B %C London %D 2012 %F ndc:17450 %I Department of Education %T Screening, searching and confiscation. Advice for head teachers, staff and governing bodies. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17450/ %X This advice is aimed at head teachers, school staff and governing bodies in all schools in England. This advice is intended to explain schools’ powers of screening and searching pupils so that school staff have the confidence to use them. In particular it explains the use of the power to search pupils without consent. It also explains the powers schools have to seize and then confiscate items found during a search. It includes statutory guidance which schools must have regard to. Key points: Searching  School staff can search a pupil for any item if the pupil agrees1.  Head teachers and staff authorised by them have a statutory power to search pupils or their possessions, without consent, where they have reasonable grounds for suspecting that the pupil may have a prohibited item. Prohibited items are: o knives or weapons o alcohol o illegal drugs o stolen items o tobacco and cigarette papers o fireworks o pornographic images o any article that the member of staff reasonably suspects has been, or is likely to be, used i) to commit an offence, ii) to cause personal injury to, or damage to the property of, any person (including the pupil) o head teachers and authorised staff can also search for any item banned by the school rules which has been identified in the rules as an item which may be searched for Confiscation  School staff can seize any prohibited item found as a result of a search. They can also seize any item, however found, which they consider harmful or detrimental to school discipline. %0 Journal Article %@ 1463-5240 %A Van Hout, Marie Claire %A Foley, Michelle %A McCormack, Aoife %A Tardif, Eric %D 2012 %F ndc:20235 %I Institute of Health Promotion and Education %J International Journal of Health Promotion and Education %N 6 %P 328-341 %T Teachers' perspectives on their role in school-based alcohol and cannabis prevention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/20235/ %V 50 %X Schools are an important setting for the implementation of health education–prevention initiatives. Teachers are valuable partners in the delivery of health and social material, including that relating to alcohol and drugs. However, school-based substance education–prevention often exists in competition with academic agendas. The research aimed to investigate teacher's perspectives in Ireland on their role and that of the school in the delivery of school-based alcohol and cannabis education–prevention. Irish school-based drug education–prevention is currently provided within the remit of the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) module, which is a compulsory element of the curriculum within secondary schools. Thirteen second-level schools partook in the research. A teacher questionnaire collected information around teacher's experiences of student alcohol and cannabis use, attitudes toward teacher and school prevention roles, and levels of school satisfaction (n = 131). The results indicated that teacher's experiences of effects of student alcohol and cannabis use in school were rare. Over half of teachers had never partaken in education–prevention activities, with those delivering SPHE teachers more likely to partake and report a positive attitude toward school-based alcohol and cannabis education–prevention. Teacher levels of satisfaction with their school were positively correlated with attitude toward the teacher and school's role in alcohol and cannabis education–prevention. High awareness of school drug and alcohol policies was recorded, along with the need for training, support, and information for all teachers. The findings underscore the need for ‘whole school’ integrated approaches involving a shared organization-wide approach to student substance education–prevention. %0 Report %9 Other %A Share, Michelle %A McCarthy, Sandra %A Greene, Sheila %B %C Dublin %D 2011 %F ndc:19353 %I Children's Research Centre %T Baseline evaluation of Early Learning Initiative. Final report. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19353/ %X This study is a synthesis of the key findings from a two-year evaluation (2009-2011) of the National College of Ireland’s Early Learning Initiative. The study also relied on data from interviews with stakeholders and parents, and from an end of evaluation consultation with the ELI team. The aim of the study is to provide a guide to the ELI in the future development of its programme. The Early Learning Initiative (ELI) is a community-based educational initiative aimed at improving educational outcomes for children in the Dublin Docklands. The initiative provides support and training to parents, families and educators through a series of programmes and activities. The ELI operates as part of the National College of Ireland (NCI) and has been delivering educational programmes in the Docklands since 2006. %0 Generic %A Drug and Alcohol Findings, %D 2011 %F ndc:14726 %I n/a %T Effects of a school-based prevention program on European adolescents' patterns of alcohol use. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/14726/ %X Drug and Alcohol Findings review of an article by Caria MP, Faggiano F, Bellocco R et al. in the Journal of Adolescent Health: 2011, 48, 182–188. This was the largest European drug education trial ever conducted tested whether US-style social influence programmes would prove effective in Europe. Among the successes were the reductions in problem drinking documented in this report. This entry is our account of a study selected by Drug and Alcohol Findings as particularly relevant to improving outcomes from drug or alcohol interventions in the UK. %0 Report %9 Other %A Millar, Michelle A %B %C Galway %D 2011 %F ndc:18118 %I UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre %T ‘Making a difference’ – an independent evaluation of the Incredible Years Programme in pre-schools in Galway city. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/18118/ %X The focus of this report is the implementation of the Incredible Years Programme (IYP) in Galway City. The report explores the process of developing the Incredible Years Programme in Galway City with a particular focus on the evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of the Dina in the Classroom (Pre-School) Programme. The IYP is designed to promote social and emotional competencies in children aged 3-10 years. The IYP which was developed in the University of Washington, Seattle by Professor Carolyn Webster-Stratton contains three separate training programmes, one for parents, teachers and children. Whilst each programme is designed as a stand-alone intervention, taken together they provide a cohesive and uniform strategy to address and eliminate behavioural difficulties for children. The IYP is designed to meet the needs of children with behavioural difficulties in the widest sense of the term. This encompasses a broad spectrum of behaviours from mildly disruptive to severely destructive which can present in the home and school, particularly among younger children. Yet this can also result in anti-social activities among adolescents and young people. Behavioural difficulties have a conduct dimension characterised by aggression, defiance and destructiveness as well as an emotional dimension, which is marked by negative affect and deficits in peer relations and pro-social behaviour. %0 Report %9 Government Publication %A Roe, Sandra %A Ireland: Department of Children and Youth Affairs, %B %C Dublin %D 2011 %F ndc:15495 %I Government Publications %T A consultation with young people on reform of the Junior Cycle. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/15495/ %X 'Alcohol and drug awareness was considered to be vital for young people in 1st and 3rd year'. p.20 (pdf p.26) Press release: Teenagers want reform of the Junior Cycle in second-level schools Monday, 11th July 2011: Coach House, Dublin Castle Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and Ruairí Quinn TD, Minister for Education and Skills jointly launched the Report of a Consultation with young people on reform of the Junior Cycle today. It showed that the participants believed the Junior Cycle should be two years long, allowing for an extra year for the Senior Cycle; more and improved classes in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) were desirable; that Maths and English should be the only mandatory subjects and that more help with the transition to second level would be useful. Speaking at the launch, Minister Fitzgerald said, ‘I am delighted to launch this report because I strongly believe in the importance of consulting with children and young people and enabling their participation in decision-making on issues that affect their lives.’ She noted that 88 young people, aged 12-18, from Comhairle na nÓg around Ireland took part in the consultation on reform of the Junior Cycle. ‘The young people identified social skills and life skills as extremely important to their lives in Junior Cycle. They want more and improved classes in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE). In my role as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I have seen the growing need for more effective support for young people in developing and maintaining positive mental health and the important role that SPHE can play on those issues,’ stated Minister Fitzgerald. Also speaking at the launch, Ruairí Quinn TD, Minister for Education and Skills said, ‘I believe that we all learn most effectively when we experience issues for ourselves, through investigation and research, project and practical work, and group discussion. These are skills for independent learning which will serve us well over a lifetime. It is this kind of active learning which we are trying to promote in the reform of the Junior Cycle.’ Three young people explained the consultation process and outlined the key findings from the report. Dorina Birsanu from Longford Comhairle na nÓg and a member of the Dáil na nÓg Council said, ‘Dáil na nÓg 2010 recommended that the Department of Education and Skills should lengthen the Leaving Cert cycle to 3 years and reduce the Junior Cert cycle to 2 years. As the elected representatives from Dáil na nÓg, we organised a special consultation for young people to influence the consultation process of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on reform on the Junior Cycle.’ Padraig Duffy from Louth Comhairle na nÓg and the Dáil na nÓg Council said, ‘at the consultation, students highlighted the stress of the move from Primary School to second-level and suggested ideas to ease the transition, including: • Second-level orientation in 6th class of Primary School • Mentoring, buddy programmes, clubs, social activities and team-building in 1st year • In 1st year, teachers should move classrooms rather than students and students should be given school maps. SPHE, CSPE, English and Maths are the only subjects that young people agreed should be compulsory in Junior Cycle, but they want a broad range of taster subjects in 1st year. Students at the consultation called for more interesting and fun teaching methods, but do not believe that schools should be allowed to develop their own courses.’ Lisa Sheehy from Limerick County Comhairle na nÓg and the Dáil na nÓg Council spoke of the need for more positive feedback, noting that all students should experience success at school. ‘Students said that the Junior Cycle is too exam-focussed and that the Junior Certificate Exam is a negative form of assessment, a memory test and does not take into account the different abilities of students,’ continued Lisa. She noted that at the consultation there was no consensus among young people about continuous assessment. However, there was strong agreement on the need for practical assessment of subjects such as portfolios, journals, projects, group work and quizzes. One of the strongest issues that arose at the consultation was the importance of life skills and social skills and the need for more classes and improved courses in SPHE and CSPE. ‘Students called for classes that cover issues such as sexuality, sex education, personal health, alcohol and drug education, politics and study skills. The students believe that SPHE should not be taught by religion teachers and that outside experts need to come into schools to support students with life skills issues.’ ‘Our consultation report was submitted to the NCCA. We hope that the Framework on the Junior Cycle being developed by NCCA will take on board the views of young people from this report,’ concluded Lisa. Editor’s notes: The Dáil na nÓg Council is a group of 34 young people elected from each Comhairle na nÓg in the country to follow-up on the key recommendations from Dáil na nÓg. The Council has a term of office of two years and is supported by staff from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the National Youth Council of Ireland to engage with key politicians and policy makers in progressing the issues on which they were mandated at Dáil na nÓg. The consultation with young people on the reform of the Junior Cycle took place on 13th November 2010 organised by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the Dáil na nÓg Council. A total of 88 young people, aged 12-18, from Comhairlí na nÓg around Ireland took part in the consultation. %0 Journal Article %A Lillis, Rachel %D 2010 %F ndc:16536 %I The Probation Service & Probation Board for Northern Ireland %J Irish Probation Journal %P 162-167 %T Ballyrunners. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/16536/ %V 7 %X This paper describes the author’s experience of the development of an initiative in the Ballymun area1 that began as a simple idea of engaging young people in structured activities over the summer months and grew into a 10-week accredited health and fitness programme called ‘Ballyrunners’. The programme was facilitated by existing interagency networks. %0 Report %9 Government Publication %A Roe, Sandra %A Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, %B %C Dublin %D 2010 %F ndc:13313 %I Government Publications %T Life skills matter – not just points: A survey of implementation of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in second-level schools. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/13313/ %X The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in secondary schools in Ireland and to examine ways in which these programmes could be improved. The study originated from recommendations arising from teenage delegates at the 2009 Dáil na nÓg (the National Youth Parliament) in relation to sex education and SPHE. These recommendations included: • all young people should have access to sex education, which is appropriate to individual needs, comprehensive and varied in delivery; • a structured SPHE course should be implemented for senior cycle students, incorporating positive mental health awareness and development of an on-line support service. To explore these matters, members of the Dáil na nÓg Council (the group of young delegates elected to follow up during the year on recommendations made at Dáil na nÓg) were involved in developing two questionnaires – one aimed at investigating the implementation of SPHE among 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students, and one investigating the implementation of RSE among Transition Year, 5th and 6th year students. Members of the Dáil na nÓg Council were trained as Social Researchers and then conducted the research among Comhairlí at local level. A total of 134 young people (aged 12-16) from 68 secondary schools in 12 different counties completed the questionnaire on the SPHE programme and 220 young people (aged 15-18) from 94 secondary schools in 13 different counties completed the questionnaire on the RSE programme. The survey found that the majority of young people (88%) received SPHE classes in 2009 and that SPHE is timetabled as a class in almost all schools surveyed (97%). In contrast, almost three-quarters of young people (74%) did not receive RSE classes during the year and RSE is timetabled in only 15% of schools surveyed. The most emphasized theme in the SPHE syllabus was found to be ‘alcohol, drug and solvent use’, while the least emphasized theme was ‘decisions and people who influence me’. The most emphasized theme in the RSE syllabus was ‘healthy relationships’, while ‘understanding sexual orientation’ was the least emphasized theme. %0 Journal Article %A Keane, Martin %D 2010 %F ndc:12806 %I Health Research Board %J Drugnet Ireland %P 19 %T Blueprint drugs education: findings from an evaluation. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/12806/ %V Issue 32, Winter 2009 %0 Generic %A Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, %C Ottawa %D 2010 %F ndc:19992 %I Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse %T Building on our strengths: Canadian standards for school-based youth substance abuse prevention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19992/ %X The Standards aim to support these workers by providing them with: • a benchmark of optimal performance for school teams; • support and guidance to pursue continuous improvements; and • practical resources and examples to support change. These are standards of excellence that strive towards optimal substance abuse prevention programs in schools. This is a destination that may seem difficult to reach, but it is attainable by building upon a school’s existing strengths and current prevention programming. To begin this journey, the Standards serve as a roadmap to help schools reflect on where they are now, where they wish to go and what areas of program development will prove beneficial in their prevention efforts. %0 Generic %A Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, %C Ottawa %D 2010 %F ndc:19993 %I Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse %T Stronger together: Canadian standards for community-based youth substance abuse prevention. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19993/ %X These Standards have been prepared to support the prevention efforts of all those considering or currently engaged in community-based prevention work. Communities play a key role in preventing substance abuse and promoting the health of community members. How various members of the community go about their business can affect youth health—either promoting or hindering it. Youth substance abuse prevention is a long-term process, but the potential rewards are great: fewer substance use problems occur among local youth, more youth experience positive development and quality of life in the community improves. The Standards aim to support community prevention workers by providing them with: • a benchmark of optimal performance for school teams; • support and guidance to pursue continuous improvements; and • practical resources and examples to support change. These are standards of excellence that strive towards optimal substance abuse prevention initiatives in communities. This destination may be reached by building upon existing strengths within the community and current prevention initiatives. To begin this journey, the Standards serve as a roadmap to help communities reflect on where they are now, where they wish to go and what areas of program development will prove beneficial in their prevention efforts. The Standards are divided into four sections. The first section provides an introduction to the Standards initiative and highlights the importance of addressing youth substance abuse in the community. The second section outlines the guiding concepts that form the foundation of the Standards and details each of the 18 Standards. The third section provides a workbook with options for a 20-minute self-assessment, an in-depth self-assessment or an external review by a National Review Panel to further strengthen an initiative. Additionally, the third section provides further information regarding how to build a logic model and further elaborates on monitoring and evaluation. Lastly, the fourth section includes appendices that contain further information on risk and protective factors, the theoretical framework for the Standards and the methods used in the development of the Standards. The Standards are based on the principle of continuous improvement and will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, based on evidence and feedback from those who have implemented them. The Standards address the life cycle of an initiative, which is divided across five phases: • Assess the situation. • Organize the team and build capacity. • Plan a logical and sustainable initiative. • Coordinate and implement evidence-based activities. • Evaluate and revise the initiative accordingly. %0 Generic %A National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, %C London %D 2010 %F ndc:17910 %I National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence %T School-based interventions to prevent the uptake of smoking among children and young people. %U http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/17910/ %X For the purposes of this guidance, 'schools' is used to refer to the following educational establishments: • maintained and independent primary, secondary and special schools • city technology colleges and academies • pupil referral units, secure training and local authority secure units • further education colleges • 'extended schools' where childcare or informal education is provided outside school hours. The guidance is for commissioners, managers and practitioners who have a direct or indirect role in, and responsibility for, preventing the uptake of smoking by children and young people. This includes those working in the NHS, local authorities, education and the wider public, private, voluntary and community sectors. It may also be of interest to children and young people, their parents or carers and other members of the public.