Teachers, youth, and family workers across Worcestershire are being offered free drug education training.

The training, provided by Hope UK, aims to help staff understand the ever-changing landscape of drug use and improve their practices.

It includes quizzes, case studies, and group discussions, focusing on effective, evidence-based drug education.

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A staff member who supports families said: "I had misconceptions about what I understood to be effective [drug education]. Knowing what works in terms of interventions and education is extremely helpful."

The training also highlights the importance of day-to-day practices within schools, such as teaching life skills and stress management, as part of good drug prevention.

It encourages practitioners to develop strategies to steer young people away from drugs and deal effectively with various scenarios.

The programme is funded by Worcestershire County Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, West Mercia.

It aims to reduce the risk of young people becoming involved in drugs, alcohol, and criminality, and includes general information about drugs, signs of drug use, and effective prevention interventions.

Feedback from teachers has been positive, with a head of year saying: "Teaching is a ‘full-on’ daily grind and this was a superb two hours of my day."