Parents

We know you love your kids and want to keep them safe. As they get older, it's so important that you can talk to them about sensitive issues, but it can be very difficult to start.

How can you instigate a conversation? Make sure you're listening and not preaching? Know you've got the right facts at your fingertips?

We want to help you look after your children. So, we've put together practical, relevant and up-to-date information which will make it easier for you and your family to find a way to discuss these difficult issues together.

Here are some top tips for how you can inform your family about drugs, alcohol, smoking and gambling:

• Read our factsheets on drugs, smoking, alcohol and gambling. You might also like to visit our teachers' section.
• Have conversations about addiction in the course of your everyday life. Often storylines on TV or relevant headlines about famous people are a good source of initial conversation.
• Try and listen as well as talking. Your child may want to talk to you about drugs but may be worried about being lectured.
• Try and communicate to your child that you care about them, their bodies and what happens to them, however old they are.
• Encourage an atmosphere of honesty, where all feelings, emotions and behaviour (even negative) can be spoken about without judgement and shouting.

There are many excellent organisations which provide great advice about these issues. You can find some of our favourites in the Need help? section of this site. Why not look at them with your children?