Events – Autumn 2025 – Drug Education Forum

The Drug Education Forum Autumn Event

Thursday 16th October 2025, 3.30 – 5.00 pm

The autumn Drug Education Forum event will provide an opportunity for drug education providers, practitioners and policy makers from across the UK to come together with a focus on the provision of excellent, evidence-based, age-appropriate drug education and harm reduction for young people.The keynote speaker is Jane Keyworth – Founder of Face Family Advice: ‘What can we do for parents and carers?’The event programme will also feature a presentation from The Loop and a spotlight from Jane Mackenzie, Share Shrewsbury.

Presentations will be followed by Q&A and a panel discussion with the speakers.

Breakout rooms: Optional informal networking will take place following the end of the main event from 5.00 – 5.30 pm to maximise the opportunity to meet other delegates.

Lunch & Learn webinar #1: Neurodiversity, young people, drugs and decisions

Monday, 10 November 2025, 12 – 1:30 pm

This first webinar from the Drug Education Forum will focus on issues relating to neurodiversity, young people and substance use, with our speakers bringing expert insights into this important topic from three different perspectives:

Jayne Keyworth, Founder of Face Family Advice: Understanding neurodiversity, adolescent brain development and risk, and how to support parents and carers of neurodivergent children to have conversations at home that will help them to stay safe.

Jodie Lynes, Team Leader We Are With You Team Leader: Adapting our approaches and resources to engage more effectively with neurodivergent young people – insights for those working in an education, treatment or early intervention capacity.

Joe Elliott, Founder of Elevate Up: Sharing his lived experience of adolescent substance use, addiction and a late-diagnosis of ADHD, with important insights for professionals in the drug education, harm reduction and early intervention sectors.

The webinar will be hosted by Charlotte Gordon, CEO of KIP Education and a member of the DEF steering committee. Presentations will be followed by Q&A and a panel discussion with the speakers.