Speaking on behalf of the Advisory Group on Drug and Alcohol Education about publication of their report, Drug Education; an Entitlement for All, and the government?s response, Eric Carlin, Chair of the Drug Education Forum, said:

The problems that drugs and alcohol cause are too important for drug education to be an optional subject for parents or schools.

The Drug Education Forum has been championing the importance of supporting parents for many years. This can be done by ensuring that parents have the right information and that every child and young person receives high quality drug and alcohol education from trained professionals.

The review and the government?s response offer a significant opportunity to reduce the harm to children, young people and their families from drug and alcohol problems.

We are delighted to see the government?s intent to make Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) a compulsory subject and look forward to working with the government to complete the technical review.

The Advisory Group on Drug and Alcohol Education make three key recommendations to the government in their report:

• Parents and carers ? support their knowledge and skills about drug and alcohol education and prevention;
• Schools ? make PSHE a statutory subject and enhance training for teachers; and
• Early intervention – improve identification and support for young people vulnerable to drug misuse in schools, colleges and non-formal settings.