In the context of recent developments in relation to substance misuse prevention at primary level, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Local Drug Task Force (LDTF) initiated a research project involving three community-based substance misuse prevention education programmes. In undertaking this research, the LDTF was hoping to gain insight into the value of these programmes. The three community-based projects, initiated from the LDTF first action plan in 1997, were invited to be part of the research. All three projects were delivering school-based courses run by parents.The three were:
*Whitechurch Addiction Support Project (WASP)
*Parents Making Children Aware (PMCA)
*Sallynoggin Parents Education and Awareness of Drugs Project (SPEAD)

The report is presented in five sections. Following the introduction, section two gives an overview of the three projects and identifies areas for research. Section three outlines the research methodology employed. Section four presents the findings and analysis. Section five concludes with a summary of findings and some recommendations for the future.