Supporting teenagers toolkit
The Supporting teenagers toolkit guides Local Drug Action Teams helping parents, carers and other trusted adults support teenagers to avoid alcohol and other drug harm.
Supporting teenagers to prevent alcohol and other drug harm
Parents, carers and other trusted adults have a big influence on the choices teenagers make.
What is the Supporting teenagers toolkit?
The Supporting teenagers toolkit is about helping the adults around teenagers (parents and carers, and also coaches, teachers and mentors) feel more confident talking with teens about alcohol and other drugs. When adults have good information and feel ready to have these conversations, they can create family environments that lower the risk of alcohol and other drug use and help protect young people from early use.
What helps teenagers
Research points to a warm, responsive approach that balances clear family rules with a teenager’s growing need for independence. Calm conversations, taking an interest in what teenagers are doing, encouraging a range of interests, and adults modelling responsible choices about alcohol all help. Our article on how to help parents talk to teens about AOD has more ideas for starting the conversation.
Trusted information for parents and carers
- Positive Choices: evidence-based alcohol and other drug information for parents, schools and students, including resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural families.
- Raising Children Network: practical advice on raising teenagers, including how to talk about alcohol and other drugs.
- headspace: support and information for young people and the adults who care about them.
- ADF Drug Facts: plain-language information about alcohol and other drugs.
For mental health apps and websites, see apps and websites for young people.
How Local Drug Action Teams use it
Local Drug Action Teams use this toolkit to reach parents, carers and other trusted adults in their community. They work with schools, sporting clubs and local services to run information sessions and workshops (delivered by people with the right expertise), share trusted information through events, local media and online, and help adults recognise when they can be a natural mentor to a young person. This toolkit often runs alongside programs for young people, such as mentoring and peer support, so parents and teens learn together.
Where it fits in the LDAT program
Local Drug Action Teams use this toolkit as part of their Community Action Plan (CAP).
How Local Drug Action Teams are responding
- The Cook, the Chef and Us, Hepburn: a hospitality program that helped secondary students build skills, confidence and wellbeing.
- Building a Smart Generation in Knox: Knox City Council, EACH and more than 20 organisations formed an LDAT using the Communities That Care approach to reduce alcohol harm among young people.
What’s in the full toolkit
The full toolkit gives Local Drug Action Teams practical guidance, including:
- why parents and carers matter, and how this toolkit works alongside parenting, mentoring and peer support programs
- guiding principles on parenting approaches, role modelling, reaching parents (including online) and supporting natural mentors
- considerations for planning and delivery, including partners, resources, cultural considerations and strengths-based messaging
- key activities and measuring success
- key steps, from finding partners to linking parents with quality information and running workshops.
If you’re part of a Local Drug Action Team, you can use the full toolkit on the LDAT platform.
Partner with a Local Drug Action Team
Local Drug Action Teams work with local organisations, such as schools, councils, sporting clubs and health services, to prevent alcohol and other drug harm in their communities. See where LDATs are on our map, and if your organisation would like to partner with one, contact us.
Last reviewed: 4 November 2026