Download this fact sheet: School-based programs and policies that have an impact on harmful drug use [PDF: 55 KB]
Number 3.8 November 2004
for school leaders
Introduction
The Framework for Student Support Services in Victorian Government Schools states that: “Schools will be responsible for the development of appropriate welfare structures to ensure the provision of a positive and supportive school environment and the delivery of coordinated and comprehensive services for students”.
There is substantial evidence that improving school environments can enhance learning outcomes and reduce the likelihood of harmful drug use. This fact sheet provides a summary of some of the school organisation and behaviour management strategies that have been shown to have some impact on the development of children.
What types of strategies are effective?
School organisation and behaviour management programs can take a number of forms, including programs that:
- better prepare children for the transitions to primary and secondary schools
- are aimed at encouraging positive interpersonal relationships at school
- develop policies and procedures to ensure effective discipline
- develop strategies to maximise learning opportunities.
Policies and practices relevant to bullying and aggression within the school appear to be of particular importance in developing a positive school environment.
It is clear that poorly implemented interventions hold few benefits for students but even modest investments to improve teacher training or behaviour management can lead to long-term benefits for children. Any efforts at school reform need to focus on the development of supportive frameworks that enable best practices to be better implemented.
Primary school programs
A number of programs have demonstrated that by altering the early primary school environment long-term improvements in youth development are achievable.
The following is a summary of some programs that have been implemented in primary schools. Not all of these programs have been evaluated.
Ardoch Primary School Support Project
Purpose: The project aims to develop holistic early intervention and prevention programs at primary schools. The project involves: broadening learning opportunities for students; developing and implementing support programs for students and families; linking relevant government agencies, community agencies, business and volunteers into the schools; skilling volunteers to work in the schools; and providing opportunities for relevant professional development for school staff and community workers.
Audience: Primary students
Exploring Together Program
Purpose: This is a short-term, community based, multi-group treatment program. It involves primary school aged children, their parents and teachers, and focuses on supporting parents, enhancing parenting practices, strengthening family units, reducing the children’s problematic behaviour and developing children’s social skills.
Audience: Primary students
Fast Track Program
Purpose: This US classroom curriculum program attempted to increase emotional regulation, positive social relationships and to reduce antisocial behaviour. Grade 1 children exposed to the intervention demonstrated lower levels of aggressive child behaviours compared to control classrooms.
Audience: Primary students
Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT)
Purpose: This US program was composed of four elements: (1) classroom social skills instruction for one hour twice a week for 10 weeks; (2) playground behaviour monitoring; (3) six sessions of parent education; and (4) parent communication. Effects on behaviour were particularly pronounced for the children who were most aggressive.
Audience: Primary students
Schools and Families Educating (SAFE) Children
Purpose: The US program included a 20-week family group curriculum and a twice-weekly individual tutoring program through the first year of school. Those in the intervention group showed a significant increase in academic achievement over the two-year period.
Audience: Primary students
Seattle Social Development Project
Purpose: The Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) supported teachers by offering workshops and information on enhanced methods of classroom management and instructional techniques. The evidence suggests that changing teacher and classroom practices led to improvements in student academic achievement and school bonding.
Audience: Primary students
The Child Development Project
Purpose: This school organisation program aimed to turn schools into caring communities of learners. The findings suggested that efforts to encourage cooperative learning environments and home–school partnerships could lead to reductions in student drug use and other behaviour problems.
Audience: Primary and secondary students
The Gatehouse Project
Purpose: The Gatehouse Project is a Victorian school-based primary prevention program using curriculum strategies to enhance understanding and skills for dealing with difficult situations and emotions and whole-school strategies to address risk and protective factors in the school environment. There was a 3–5 per cent reduction in substance use for those exposed to the intervention 2–3 years after the intervention began.
Audience: Primary and secondary students
Transition programs
Research has shown that better transition programs from primary to secondary school are helpful in reducing stress, anxiety and depression in children. Cluster and collaborative approaches between local schools are seen to be very effective due to their united approach.
The following is a summary of some transition programs. Not all of these programs have been evaluated.
The Peer Support Program
Purpose: The Peer Support Program provides the opportunity for friendly contact between younger and older students in order to improve the school climate and learning environment. Senior secondary school students are responsible for leading a group of Grade 7 students through the program’s content and activities, covering areas such as assertiveness, goal setting, group decision making, and friendships.
Audience: Primary and secondary students
The School Transitional Environment Project
Purpose: The School Transitional Environment Program (STEP) is a US program that involves keeping students in the same peer group during core classes and in a homeroom, restructuring to create smaller learning groups and encouragement of greater support from the homeroom teacher and counsellors. Students exposed to the intervention demonstrated better emotional adjustment over the period of their school transition relative to those in the matched control schools.
Audience: Primary and secondary students
Schools for Innovation and Excellence
Purpose: The Schools for Innovation and Excellence initiative encourages primary and secondary schools to work closely together in clusters. Some strategies emphasised in the program are designed to help children deal with the transition between primary and secondary school.
Audience: Primary and secondary students
Secondary school programs
Although there is a growing body of US research to suggest that interventions aimed at improving primary school social environments can have positive impacts, there has been less research examining secondary schools. However, the available research does suggest that secondary school reorganisation and behaviour management practices may reduce the risk factors for problematic drug use by young people.
The following is a summary of some programs that have been implemented in secondary schools. Not all of these programs have been evaluated.
Ardoch Secondary School Support Project
Purpose: The project focuses on secondary school aged students and aids in the prevention of issues such as early school leaving, irretrievable family breakdown and youth homelessness.
Audience: Secondary students
Olweus Bullying Prevention Project
Purpose: The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a comprehensive, school-wide program designed for use in elementary, middle or junior high schools. It’s goals are to reduce and prevent bullying problems among school children and to improve peer relations at school. The program has been found to reduce bullying among children, improve the social climate of classrooms, and reduce related antisocial behaviours, such as vandalism and truancy.
Audience: Secondary students
Individual School Drug Education Strategies
Purpose: Policies help to establish behavioural norms and guidelines for the management of student behaviour. The aim of the ISDES project is to increase the knowledge and skills of young people to contribute to the minimisation of harm that may arise from use or misuse of legal and illegal drugs.
Audience: Upper primary and secondary students
The Advocacy Program
Purpose: This program has been developed and trialled in Victorian secondary schools. The program emphasises the development of an ongoing one-to-one relationship between a teacher (the advocate) and a student. The essence of the interaction is that the advocate is a caring adult who listens to the student and supports them to develop an individual approach to learning, based around their strengths.
Audience: Secondary students