Being noticed in connection with drug use in school setting

• Children and youths aged 11-18 years who were noticed in the connection with drug (legal and illegal) use.

• To limit psychoactive substance use by pupils and improve their school performance.

• being noticed
• diagnosis
• consultation
• motivating a pupil to change "problem" behaviour
• providing support in cooperation with parents

• diagnosis: intake interview, using of diagnostic tests, observation, information obtained from other sources

• consultation: information about the substances and health risks related to drug use

• motivation: getting in touch with parents, elaboration of contract, referral to drug counselling facilities, monitoring of contract

• changes enhacement - periodical talks with adolescent and parents to support positive changes

• principles of short intervention

• individual work with adolescents and parents

• family sessions

• none

• School based intervention is implemented at the country level. Between 2003-2007 58 trainers from almost all districts of Poland trainers conducted basic workshops in 405 schools (11800 teachers participated) preparing school staff to recognize symptoms of drug use of students and prepared (advanced training) about 2500 teachers, pedogogues, school psychologists to conduct intervention with durg using students.

• Members of school staff as pedagogues, psychologists.

• Required basic 4-hour training for the whole school staff and

• advanced 12-hour training course for persons willing to make interventions.

• Costs related to teachers (basic and advanced) trainings are about 500 euro. The school-based intervention is implemented by school staff in a framework of permanent duties.

• Individual interviews with school management representatives, teachers, parents and school counselors; group interviews with representatives of teachers and pupils from each school.

• Analysis of school documentation: the school’s statutes and contracts agreed with the pupils who were covered by the interventions.

• The results of the study show that a preventive intervention oriented on help and not punishment may be successfully applied in pupils who occasionally use psychoactive substances or sporadically break other school rules. In order to achieve expected objectives it is important to follow the suggested intervention procedure - the more elements of the method are used by a person making an intervention the more likely it is that a pupil’s behaviour is going to change. It is of vital importance to work through the contract method especially when its drawing-up and content confirm to the suggested guidelines. The systemic solutions adopted by a school and the climate around drug-related issues may facilitate (or hamper) the intervention method. The most important factors include: motivating teachers to make interventions, develop real cooperation with parents as well as satisfactory communication among school staff and between school staff and pupils and parents.

• Borucka A., Pisarska A., Okulicz-Kozaryn K. (2003):Evaluation of the usefulness and functioning of a school-based intervention method for drug using students, in: Medycyna Wieku Rozwojowego, No 1

• Okulicz-Kozaryn K., Borucka A., Pisarska A. (2003): Implementation of a school-based intervention method for students who use drugs, in: Medycyna Wieku Rozwojowego, No 1

• Borucka, A., Koco?, K. (2003).  School-based intervention, in:. Remedium 7-8 (125-126), 10-13.

• Pisarska A., Jakubowska L. (2004): Pupils and intervention procedures, in: Remedium No 5 (135)

• Borucka, A., Okulicz-Kozaryn, K., Pisarska, A. (2005) School-based intervention towards drug using students. The stages of the program elaboration. In: Diagnostyka – profilaktyka – socjoterapia w teorii i praktyce pedagogicznej. (Diagnosis-prevention-socjotherapy in theory and practice of  pedagogy) Deptu?a M. (editor). Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Kazimierza Wielkiego. Bydgoszcz, 238-252.

• Borucka, A., Pisarska, A., Okulicz-Kozaryn, K. (2005) School-based preventive intervention. In:  Profilaktyka w szkole (Prevention at school). Szyma?ska  J., Kami?ska-Bu?ko B. (editors). Centrum Metodyczne Pomocy Psychologiczno-Pedagogicznej, Warszawa, 52 – 67.

• EDDRA data base http://eddra.emcdda.europa.eu/pls/eddra/showQuest?Prog_ID=6196

• Supporting and helping drug using students and their parents by: delivering information and proposing particular intervention procedure

• Real teacher – parents cooperation

• Good communication within school staff and between teachers and students

• none