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Written question asked by Tristan Osborne (Labour) on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 15 January 2026. It was answered by Georgia Gould (Labour) on Monday, 23 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Children: Drugs

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with schools to help reduce the number of minors being treated for drug use, including in Medway.

Answer

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE), available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2, is the statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The statutory curriculum for health education requires all pupils in state-maintained schools to be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and the associated risks to physical and mental wellbeing, including smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking.

By the end of secondary school, pupils should know the facts about which drugs are illegal, the risks of taking illegal drugs, including the increased risk of potent synthetic drugs being added to illegal drugs, the risks of illicit vapes containing drugs, illicit drugs and counterfeit medicines, and the potential health harms, including the link to poor mental health.

This complements content about substances within the national curriculum for science.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
105607
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Children Drugs Misuse
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk