Guiding principles

As well as with helping community organisations access Parenting programs, LDATs can:

• Create resources to help parents learn about the need for responsible role modelling of AOD attitudes and behaviours to increase protection for their children. ADF resources can help with this.
  See: Parenting Programs – Useful resources.
• Create resources for parents with tips on talking to their children about AOD.
  Positive Choices has great resources for this and LDATs could adapt them to save time
• Use or adapt evidence-based ADF resources to implement high quality Parenting programs.
  See: Parenting programs LDAT module.
• Develop a strategy to bring tangible risk and protection advice to parents’ attention.
  Some parents avoid school functions but congregate in other settings, such as sporting clubs or cultural clubs. LDATs should consider creative ways to reach local parents (e.g. multimedia, online, broadcast or special interest media for diverse audiences) and find ways to overcome cultural and language barriers.
• LDATs should be cautious about promoting Parenting programs in schools as they are not supported by evidence.
  While schools have continuing access to resources, such as health curriculum, trained health teachers and pastoral care, the research record of parent education in schools is weak. This doesn’t mean that schools can’t be part of a larger community-wide intervention, but they should not be the focus for an LDAT. Of course, this advice may be less relevant for smaller settings where the school is the focus of the community.