Introduction

Parental engagement is a critical element of effective schoolbased drug education. Drawing on an involvement-engagement conti­nuum model, which distinguishes between attendance and/or information receiving (participation) and meaningful collaborative involvement (engagement), this paper examines parental engagement within a parent-workshop component of a multicomponent drug education programme delivered in 11 schools in England. The paper explores the factors that shape movement towards more meaningful engagement.

Material and methods

Methods included an online parent evaluation survey and data from inperson focus groups with teachers and students. Qualitative data were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using template analysis to identify barriers and facilitators to parental engagement.

Results

Workshop attendance and evaluation survey completion were low. Parents who attendedthe workshop reported increased knowledge, confidence and practical strategies for discussing drugs with their children. Teachers described substantial structural and relational barriers to parental engagement. Students supported parental involvement but expressed concerns about possible parental overreaction to drug information, highlighting the importance of trust and emotional safety in communication processes.

Conclusions

The findings support the results from prior studies regarding the challenges to involving parents meaningfully in drug education programmes. This study emphasises the importance of building a partnership approach between the school, students, parents and drug education providers to encourage meaningful parental engagement based on more collaborative, inclusive involvement.