A parents' guide to festivals

The long summer break from school stretches ahead, and with it a plethora of social opportunities for teenagers. One of the more anxiety-inducing prospects may be a festival, particularly if your child announces they and a group of friends are intending to go. Preparation is key, so here are some key questions to ask.

In the planning stages:

Is your child enthusiastic about the event and the people they will be going with? The latter is important as friends will need to rely on each other, and the former will set a positive headspace.

Do you know the parents of the other teens who are going? Setting up a WhatsApp group or similar is likely to be useful – and suggest to your child that they do the same with their friends.

What is the site like? Find out about the facilities online, and print a map as they need to have a clear picture of the location of vital services such as security, welfare and first aid but phone batteries, data and wifi signals are likely to become precious commodities once there.

If there is camping, is your child a pitching pro or a canvas rookie? If inexperienced, a quick practice in the garden at both setting up and breaking camp will make it much less stressful when they are doing it on site.

What do they need to take? It is best to so pack waterproofs, wellies, sunscreen, water bottles, layers of clothing, medication, toiletries etc… but don’t include anything of value (financial or personal).

Do they need ID? If so, it is best to look into something like a so they don’t have to carry a valuable document such as a passport.

At the event:

Are they able to use their phone as a safety device? Simple steps such as populating , and installing the and apps may prove very useful.

How are they keeping their personal possessions safe? A bum bag or similar is your friend here, as it keeps items close to the body.

Have they got a buddy system? Ideally nobody should be left on their own, so making sure they are at least in pairs if they want to do different things and arranging regular meeting times and places is a sensible thing to do.

Do they understand toilet etiquette? This is likely to be the least pleasant area of the site but at least the mess and smell is confined to the cubicles – going in the corner of a field spreads the unpleasantness. If wristbands are worn, they should be on the non-dominant arm to avoid them slipping off while wiping, and it is wise to be armed with a headtorch, loo roll and sanitiser for toilet trips.

Are they OK in crowds? Some find it exhilarating, others overwhelming, so talk to your child so they know to not push against surges if they are in the thick of it and instead can weave their way to the periphery, and to not get isolated if they want to hold back.

Are the arrangements clear for coming home? Agree a location and time, and impress upon them that they can call you if they feel uncomfortable or vulnerable at any time of the day or night – their safety is a priority.

A few words about drugs:

Drug use is more prevalent at festivals than most other places, and so being armed to manage the risks presented by normalisation, accessibility, frequency of offers and social decision making are a vital part of preparation.

and there will be strict measures in place such as bag searches and sniffer dogs to try and stop them getting on site. Anyone who is caught will be ejected and may face a lifetime ban.

Some drugs will inevitably get in and all are illegal and therefore . can be a useful harm reduction measure for those who decide to engage in drug taking – but of course the only way to eliminate drug-related risk is to not take anything at all.

People at festivals are generally already altered, physically, mentally and emotionally: they may not be eating and staying hydrated as normal, and the environment is likely to feel a million miles away from everyday life. These plus many more will have an impact on the effects of drugs and alcohol and wellbeing more generally, so extra care is needed.

Mixing, including with alcohol, is always a bad idea, as is going in hard: is the mantra. Add to that “not solo”, as having a sober friend close by is important, and that individual would do well to know the signs of a and some basic first aid such as how to put someone in the .

Festivals are one of the very few places in which calling 999 in an emergency may not be the best idea. Instead it is generally best to approach a member of staff who will know what the correct procedures are in order to get the right help as quickly as possible.

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE is director and Founder of drug education charity the and author of the award-winning ‘I Wish I’d Known: young people, drugs and decisions – a guide for parents and carers’ (Sheldon Press, 2021) and ‘Talking the Tough Stuff with Teens – making conversations work when it matters most’ (Sheldon Press, 2022)

Asha Fowells is a drugs educator at the DSM Foundation, and a pharmacist and journalist.

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A parents' guide to festivals

TE Schools Advice