Harm reduction

Understand the most effective tool we have to keep young people who are already using drugs, safe from harm.

A harm reduction approach is a public health strategy that acknowledges that people will be involved in a range of behaviours that carry risks. It aims to ensure that when people are engaging in behaviours that carry risk they have information and knowledge about the safest way to do it so they can make informed choices.  

Taking risks in adolescence allows young people to establish their identity and develop independence. A 15-year-old who wants to go out with friends unsupervised is practising skills they require as an adult which is a healthy and necessary process. For some young people, experimentation with drug or alcohol use can be part of the process of testing who they are. For others, drugs or alcohol use may develop when young people discover it helps them cope with life stresses that are also increasing at this time.  

Parents already have the skills and are experts in taking a harm-reduction approach with young people. For example, being one step ahead by keeping your 2-year-old from climbing on the glass coffee table or from eating dirt are examples of a harm reduction approach. By taking a harm reduction approach to your young person’s substance use you are able to see your young person safely through this period of their lives.  

A harm reduction approach doesn’t try to restrict or tell the young person to stop using substances. Research suggests this approach is not effective. A harm reduction approach acknowledges that reducing substance use may not be the young person’s goal right now. It can be helpful to think about and be curious what your young person’s relationship is with the substance they are using.  

You can ask what they like about using their substance of choice and try to work out how it makes them feel or what they get out of using it.  This approach promotes open communication where the young person is more likely to have a conversation with you about their substance use.  These conversations can also help you get to know more about some of the tings your young person cares about or is hoping for. When we understand their motivations, it can provide opportunities to support them with other possibilities as well as substance use.

Sometimes it is important to think about and acknowledge your own beliefs related to substance use. It can be helpful to set them aside when trying to understand and listen to the young person’s experience of using substances. This will encourage open and honest conversations with your young person.  

Harm reduction approaches are about reducing the negative consequences of the young person’s substance use, acknowledging that the young person is an expert in their own life and working with them where they are at. It is about taking small positive steps to ensure your young person is using drugs in the safest way possible.  

WHAT DOES A HARM REDUCTION APPROACH MEAN FOR FAMILIES IN PRACTICE?  

Harm reduction can be a good way to start the journey of a young person to making positive and safe decisions for themselves. Linking up with a drug and alcohol service to get some harm minimisation advice can provide young people with a safe place to explore their substance use and increase their awareness of services available to them. This can make it easy to take further steps later down the track if that’s what they need.  Young people who are ambivalent (or opposed to) changing their substance use sometimes won’t see an AOD worker to prevent substance use but may consider seeing a worker to learn how to prevent harm. 

Some examples of harm reduction strategies are: 

• Drinking whilst supervised by adults in a safe environment might prevent the harms that come with sneaking around drinking in public places. 
• Teaching young people to drink a pot of water for every pot of beer 
• Planning how to get home – someone is nominated as the sober driver or getting a taxi/uber home  
• Only using with trusted friends  
• Avoiding mixing different drugs together  
• Having enough phone credit to call home, knowing they can call if they need and being able to talk openly with you if they are scared or worried should not be underestimated as powerful strategies for harm minimisation 

• Each situation and type of drug has different harm-reduction strategies. YoDAA workers are happy to talk through what these might be on a case-by-case basis. Also, check out the young person’s section of our website, it is full of helpful tips and tricks to stay safe.  

For parents and carers of young people the most important harm reduction approach is working on your connection and communication with them. This means they may choose to come to you in a tricky situation and this can reduce all types of harms. 

Want to talk more about harm reduction and how it applies to a young person you care about take a look at our video.