National Framework for Protocols for Managing the Possession, Use and/or Distribution of Illicit and Other Unsanctioned Drugs in Schools

Of all the things we can do as a nation to address the drug problem, none is more important than educating children. Teaching our children about the dangers of illicit and unsanctioned drugs is the key to preventing drug use among young Australians and future generations. All political leaders at the state and federal level have agreed that illicit drugs have no place in schools.

The Federal Government has made a major commitment to fighting the damage caused by drugs to individuals and the community. These efforts focus on education, providing resources for law enforcement and ensuring treatment and rehabilitation services are available to people who need help. The Federal Government believes it is important that we work together with the community and with state and territory governments to tackle the drug problem. By producing the National Framework for Protocols for Drugs in Schools, Australian governments have joined together in the fight against illicit drugs to protect children – our society’s most valuable asset.

The National Framework for Protocols for Drugs in Schools focuses on prevention – through education, information and providing safe and healthy school environments. The Framework also sets out principles for early intervention – aimed at ensuring there are appropriate procedures for dealing with illicit drugs within schools. It will assist schools in developing effective strategies to address drug related incidents in a nationally consistent way. It is vital that we work together if we are to effectively educate young people about drugs. Teachers, health professionals, parents and students have pivotal roles to play, and it is important that they are supported by the wider community in the spirit of a social coalition. By working together we can ensure that our schools are safe and healthy places for all Australian children.

John Howard
Prime Minister

The Commonwealth Government is committed to addressing the growing problem of drug use by young people. A total of $27.3 million has been provided under the National School Drug Education Strategy to strengthen and enhance both preventative school drug education programmes and the management of drug related incidents in schools. The Ministerial Council for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA), which comprises all Australian Education Ministers, has ensured a consistent national approach to a national problem with their endorsement of this National Framework for protocols for managing the possession, use and/or distribution of illicit and other unsanctioned drugs in schools (the National Framework). Our children are precious and we must ensure that they have a safe and supportive school environment in which to learn and develop to their full potential. The National Framework sets out an agreed set of guiding principles so that every school can have in place a comprehensive set of protocols for drug education and for handling incidents involving drugs within schools.

The National Framework provides a consistent message nationally, especially to parents, about how schools will respond and what help is available if a student does become involved in a drug related incident at school.

The National Framework focuses on prevention and intervention. Prevention is through education and information within the health curriculum. Intervention involves ensuring appropriate procedures are in place both for managing drug related incidents and for identifying and supporting vulnerable young people as drug use may be a manifestation of emerging personality disorder or mental illness requiring referral for a thorough medical examination and assessment.

The National Framework will be supported and complemented by other initiatives under the National School Drug Education Strategy. Funding is being provided for activities that are catalytic and encourage innovation and good practice. This includes research and evaluation of effective approaches to school drug education and initiatives which address the particular needs of targeted groups and regions. These activities extend and build on the school drug education measures provided by State and Territory Governments, non-government school sectors and others.

The National School Drug Education Strategy and the National Framework recognise the importance of ensuring that all school sectors, teacher and professional associations, parents, health and law enforcement agencies and other community groups are involved in developing and delivering effective school-based drug prevention and intervention.

We commend the National Framework and take the opportunity to thank Australian Heads of Government and Education Ministers for their collaboration in developing and delivering this and other Tough on Drugs in Schools initiatives.

David Kemp
Minister
Education, Training and Youth Affairs
Chair, MCEETYA

Trish Worth
Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on 9 April 1999 agreed on the need for national action involving the explicit rejection of the use of illicit drugs. COAG agreed on an integrated strategy to combat drugs through law enforcement, education and treatment. In relation to schools, the Council affirmed that illicit drugs have no place in schools and agreed to strengthen the response to drug use within schools. Heads of Government agreed to the Commonwealth providing resources to increase the capacity of schools and school communities to respond to illicit drug use through the development of enhanced protocols. The aim is to help school communities develop better ways of managing drug use in the school environment on a nationally consistent basis. These protocols will be supported by:

• educational material for schools and building school and community awareness and involvement in addressing drug problems; and
• resource materials to all schools for the design of their own local summits to strengthen the  response of schools and communities to the challenge of drugs.

This National Framework responds to the request to develop enhanced protocols on a nationally consistent basis. The Framework is a collaborative effort by the Ministerial Council of Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs and other relevant stakeholders. It presents a shared vision of the appropriate action which needs to be taken in all Australian schools, at both primary and secondary level, to prevent and respond to possession, use and/or distribution of illicit and other unsanctioned drugs by students.

The Framework thus comprises two key elements:

1. an emphasis on prevention through education, information and safe and supportive school environments; and
2. intervention through appropriate procedures for dealing with incidents involving the possession, use and/or distribution of illicit drugs within schools.

Illicit and unsanctioned drug use is a complex social issue that must be dealt with in a range of ways by various professionals and agencies. Schools acknowledge their partnership role in addressing this social issue through the provision of a safe school environment and the implementation of curriculum, policy and programmes, including the provision of student welfare services. Schools can also play a key role in strengthening the communication between parents and young people. This is important as parents play a crucial role in influencing their children’s behaviour and in resolving their problems. It is recognised that schools cannot address the problems of illicit and other unsanctioned drug use alone and it is essential for the wider community to share the responsibility for addressing these problems in a cohesive and collaborative way with schools.

This Framework is consistent with and complementary to other recent developments in the school sector to build safe and supportive school environments, including measures to enhance drug education programmes under the National School Drug Education Strategy.

Along with the National School Drug Education Strategy, this Framework is consistent with the National Drug Strategic Framework 1998/99 to 2002/03, in that the goal of no illicit drugs in schools fits within the broader goal endorsed by Heads of Government of explicit rejection of the use of illicit drugs. This encompasses a range of integrated approaches through:

• supply reduction strategies;
• demand reduction strategies designed to prevent the uptake of harmful drug use including abstinence oriented strategies; and
• harm reduction strategies for individuals and communities.

Providing all students with the kind of environment that will best nurture and support their development is a continuing challenge for schools. It is important that schools demonstrate programmes and practices that address the needs of all students.

Illicit and other unsanctioned drug use is not a major problem in most schools or for most students. Where it does occur it has the potential to disrupt families, academic performance, physical and emotional development and social integration into the world of adult life. The collaborative effort of the school and the wider community can help students to avoid involvement with illicit and other unsanctioned drugs.

The continuum of drug use ranges from abstinence through to exposure, experimentation, occasional use, problematic use and addiction. Progression along this continuum may be associated with other problems in a young person’s life and with a range of other problematic behaviours. Parents, teachers and the wider community should be aware that drug use by some adolescents can be a manifestation of emerging personality disorder or mental illness requiring referral for a thorough medical examination and assessment. In some cases support for students using drugs can be provided in the school context. In other cases, students will require follow up treatment and care. Detachment from school is an additional risk factor for further involvement in drug use, while involvement in school is an important protective factor. Strenuous efforts should therefore be made to retain those involved in drug related incidents within an education or treatment setting.

To provide a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff, schools need to give priority to preventive drug education and student welfare/pastoral care as well as to specific processes for managing drug related incidents. Schools should not assume that possession, use and/or distribution of illicit and other unsanctioned drugs does not occur amongst students either at school or outside school hours. Action is also required to meet the needs of the majority of students who do not use drugs but who may be affected by the drug use of others. It should be the clear perception and reality that unlawful and anti-social behaviours will, when identified, result in consequences for those involved based on fair, just and consistent actions which take into account individual circumstances.

It is a significant challenge for schools to make judgements about appropriate responses to drug related incidents. School staff will be better equipped to identify and help students involved with illicit and other unsanctioned drugs when they are informed about such drugs, aware of constructive measures to take, understand the legal and regulatory frameworks they must work within and know that support for themselves and for students will be provided by the school and/or system administration.

This Framework recognises that schools and the wider community need to provide all students with information, strategies and skills to reject illicit and other unsanctioned drug use.

Schools need policies and procedures for a range of student welfare related issues including policies for drug related matters which range from prescribed medications and the wise use of medicines through to illicit and unsanctioned drugs. The focus of this Framework is on schools' responses to illicit drug and other unsanctioned drugs. The latter can include tobacco and herbal cigarettes, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, image and performance enhancing drugs and inhalants. Responses may range from preventive education programmes and student welfare/pastoral support for all students through to specific interventions to manage drug related incidents and to manage students who are using drugs. Programmes and practices should encompass all students:

• those who choose not to use illicit and other unsanctioned drugs as they may be affected by the drug use of others;
• students at high risk of using illicit and other unsanctioned drugs; and
• students found possessing, using and/or distributing such drugs.

The Framework also focuses on the need for responses to be consistent and fair taking into account the age, developmental level and other circumstances of the individuals involved rather than being driven by the nature of the incident alone.

This National Framework recognises that individual schools and school jurisdictions at the State/Territory and non-government sector level have policies and procedures in place for responding to illicit and other unsanctioned drug use in schools and that they have primary responsibility for this area.

The National Framework draws upon good practice identified in existing arrangements and presents this under a set of guiding principles, key elements of prevention and intervention derived from these principles and the components of these elements. The policies and procedures of individual schools and their jurisdictions should be consistent with this Framework.

1. The possession, use and/or distribution of illicit and other unsanctioned drugs is not acceptable in Australian schools and this message should be delivered in a clear and consistent way within school communities.
2. Schools need to have prevention and intervention policies and procedures in place that are integrated with other school policies. These should be developed in consultation with students, school staff, parents and the wider community, including health, youth and community professionals/agencies and the police.
3. These policies and procedures need to give priority to:
   1. developing safe and supportive school environments;
   2. providing information and education that builds upon students’ knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to make responsible decisions about drugs;
   3. educating the school community about the consequences of possession, use and/or distribution of illicit and other unsanctioned drugs at school;
   4. developing a range of responses to drug-related incidents that take into account the nature of the incident, the circumstances of the student(s) involved, including relevant age, developmental, gender, cultural and social considerations, and the needs and safety of others in the school;
   5. building links with other service providers in the community; and
   6. continuing to engage students who are involved with illicit and other unsanctioned drugs in education.
4. Responses to possession, use and/or distribution of illicit and other unsanctioned drugs at school need to be applied fairly and consistently.
5. There should be clarity in the roles, legal obligations, responsibilities and expectations of principals, staff, other relevant professionals and parents, in the management of illicit and other unsanctioned drug use by students.
6. Principals and staff need professional development in working with students involved in drug related incidents and in referring them to other professionals and/or agencies.
7. Policy and procedures for managing drug related incidents in schools should be clearly communicated and broadly disseminated to the entire school community in a culturally inclusive way.
8. Policy and procedures for managing drug related incidents in schools should be regularly monitored and evaluated by schools, while ensuring that the privacy of individuals is protected.

The objective of preventive drug education programmes is to reduce or delay the likelihood of experimentation with drugs by providing information about the dangers of illicit and unsanctioned drug use. In particular when students leave school they should have the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Schools can play a key role in drug use prevention strategies but this role can only be fully effective when it is integrated with and supported by broader community measures such as support for families. Outlined below are the key elements that a school would have in place to effectively address the prevention of illicit and other unsanctioned drug use.

Despite the best prevention approaches of schools, parents and the community, some students will use illicit and other unsanctioned drugs. They will need early intervention to strengthen their capacity to stop using these drugs and to protect their health and well being. For students using such drugs or at high risk of doing so, collaborative school and wider community support will be necessary.

Illicit and other unsanctioned drug use, possession or distribution can often be associated with a range of other problems in a young person’s life. In situations where the health and safety of the school community is not threatened, responses should aim to maintain links with the school and support personnel.

Outlined below are the key elements that a school would have in place to effectively respond to the possession, use and/or distribution of illicit and other unsanctioned drugs by students in schools.

Drug

A substance which produces a psychoactive effect. Within the context of the "National Framework for Developing Enhanced Protocols for Managing the Possession, Use and/or Distribution of Illicit and Other Unsanctioned Drugs In Schools", the term drug is used generically to include tobacco and herbal cigarettes, alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, illicit drugs, image and performance enhancing drugs, inhalants and kava.

Illicit drug

A drug for which the production, sale, possession or use is prohibited. An alternative term is ‘illegal drug’.

Image and performance enhancing drugs

A range of drugs used for their capacity to improve physical image and physical and/or mental abilities, eg the use of steroids by athletes or the use of amphetamines for long distance driving.

Inhalants

Substances which are inhaled for their psychoactive effects, including many domestic and commercial products such as glue, aerosol sprays, paints, industrial solvents, thinners, petrol and cleaning fluids.

Pharmaceuticals

Drugs available through a pharmacy including over the counter and prescription medicines.

Psychoactive effects

Effects produced by a drug or substance that alter mental processes including mood, cognition, thinking or behaviour.

Policy and procedures

Policy is the overarching statement, position and/or principles on the approach to be taken to a particular issue. Procedures, strategies, guidelines and/or action plans are the action oriented measures that underpin and aim to achieve the stated policy.

Protocol

In the context of this Framework, protocol is used interchangeably with policy, procedures and/or guidelines. It is recognised that in some school jurisdictions, protocol is used more formally to refer to documented liaison or referral arrangements with outside agencies.

Reintegration

Procedures for (re)engaging and supporting students in school attendance and learning programmes following drug related interruption to their involvement in schooling.

Safe and supportive school environment

A safe and supportive learning environment will provide for the physical, physiological, psychological, social, cultural, aesthetic and intellectual development of students (as defined in Creating Safe and Supportive Learning Environments: What’s working in Australian Schools, Australian Council of State School Organisations, November 1998, ISBN 0 908264 39 9.)

School community

The school community is generally considered to comprise students, school staff (for example teachers and other professionals, administrators and other support staff) and parents/guardians and other carers.

Unsanctioned drug

A drug whose use is restricted by law, school authorities and/or school policies/guidelines. It includes illicit, social and prescription drugs.

Wider school community

The wider school community includes individuals, groups and agencies who work together with the school community to achieve the best educational and personal outcomes for students, for example, health, youth and welfare professionals and agencies, community groups and the police.