How does a school proceed after an incident?

After a cannabis incident at school, a calm and clear response matters first. The situation is secured, the facts are recorded, school management is informed and parents are involved. This is followed by a conversation, an agreement and a reference to help. This article describes a procedure in eight steps. It does not replace advice from the school authority. It does, however, show what you can orient yourself by.

Step one: Secure the situation

The first step concerns safety and calm. If a person is acutely at risk, dial the emergency number immediately. Then separate those involved without assigning blame. Anyone who has seen something remains available to speak. Do not handle consumption products without instructions from school management, and do not remove people from places where they are on your own initiative.

This caution protects everyone involved.

Step two: Record the facts

Note the time, place, those involved and observations briefly and factually. Write down what you saw or heard, and separate your assumptions from it. A sentence such as “At 10:20, X was sitting in the school yard. I noticed a sweet smell.” is useful. A judgement such as “He uses cannabis all the time” is not.

The note stays internal. It serves as the basis for school management and school social work. Anyone who passes it on should agree this with school management first.

Step three: Inform school management

School management decides on the further procedure within the school law of the federal state. It knows the house rules and the procedures at the school. Inform it promptly, even if the incident seems minor. Information within the next few hours is better than an explanation a week later.

According to the page for teachers on cannabispraevention.de, the house rules may be supplemented with a consumption ban. Referring to the house rules helps if the rule has already been set. The article How do you word school rules on cannabis? shows what such a rule can look like.

Step four: Involve school social work

School social work conducts the conversation with the person concerned and clarifies how they are doing. It checks whether further support is needed and refers on where appropriate. For the legal classification: possession, acquisition and cultivation of cannabis remain prohibited for minors, and passing cannabis on to minors is a criminal offence (§ 34 KCanG). Whether the Polizei or the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) is involved is decided by school management under the law of the federal state.

Early involvement is especially worthwhile in repeated incidents, because teachers then do not have to support the young person alone. The article What role does school social work play in cannabis cases? explains the tasks.

Step five: Contact the parents

Parents are generally involved, and the details are governed by state law. The page for teachers explains in which situations contact with parents is essential. In addition, according to the BIÖG, authorities inform parents or legal guardians when minors breach the cannabis ban. Whether the school seeks contact beforehand depends on school law and on the arrangement with school management.

In the conversation with parents, describe the incident factually, name the next step and offer support. The parents’ phone line of the Nummer gegen Kummer, 0800 111 0 550, advises parents who are worried. The article How does the school involve parents in cannabis prevention? describes how such a conversation runs.

Step six: Review school measures

Which school measures are possible depends on the school law of the respective federal state. School management examines in each case what fits. A list of questions helps with this review: Is the person at risk? Have there been earlier incidents? Are there offers of help that can take effect now?

Measures should also be explained. The person concerned and the parents should know what applies, why, and how things will continue. This keeps the decision comprehensible.

Step seven: Refer to help

Every procedure includes a reference to counselling. In case of consumption and concerns, the Sucht und Drogen Hotline on 01806 313031 can help. The DHS addiction help directory shows counselling services nearby, filterable by federal state and postcode. Drugcom offers a cannabis check that allows young people to assess their own consumption over the past twelve months.

Health is central here. The young brain is in an important phase of development, as the BIÖG states. In the worst case, the school or vocational qualification is at risk. This explains why early help makes sense.

Step eight: Follow-up and documentation

Arrange an appointment at which the course is discussed. Check after a few weeks whether something has changed, and adjust the support. Store the documentation securely and pass it on only to the bodies that need it for their work. An incident is closed when the support is running and everyone involved knows what happens next.

When students seek help themselves

Not every case begins with an incident. Sometimes a student approaches a teacher and asks for help. The response is then especially important. Anyone who shows trust should not immediately announce consequences. The support comes first, and the next steps, which both sides need to know, follow.

The teacher says openly what they must do. Information to school management or school social work is usually the next step. This should be clear beforehand, so that no one is surprised. The help you name should be concrete: the Sucht und Drogen Hotline on 01806 313031 or the DHS addiction help directory.

Following up on the incident

After an incident, a short follow-up in the teaching staff is worthwhile. It is about learning, not about blame. What worked? Where were the gaps? Does the house rule still fit? The answers feed into the school rule, which is adjusted where necessary.

The person concerned also needs feedback. A conversation a few weeks later shows how they are doing and whether the agreed help has arrived.

What you can do next

Decide at your school who informs school management during an incident and who calls school social work. Compile the procedures in a short overview and make it available to all teaching staff. Anyone who knows the procedure acts more calmly and in a more comprehensible way in an emergency.