Age appropriate drug education forms a part of the mandatory Kindergarten to Year 6 and 7 to 10 PDHPE syllabus. Students in Year 11 and/or Year 12 extend this learning through the 25 hour mandatory Life Ready course.

Drug education in NSW government schools reflects the whole of government harm minimisation approach. It aims to promote resilience, and build on knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours to enable young people to make responsible, healthy and safe choices.

For effective drug education it is important to:

• create a supportive learning environment
• inform parents and carers
• use a strengths based approach
• empower students through skill development
• use suitable teaching strategies to prevent public disclosures