Ask the experts about parties and teenagers

ReachOut Content Team
Published 24 November 2023

Parties can be a tricky thing to navigate with your teenager. We asked Associate Professor Cath Chapman of the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney to share some tips on setting boundaries with your child around parties they attend in high school. As an expert in substance use prevention and a parent of teenagers herself, Cath Chapman talked about working with other parents, what to do if your teenager comes home intoxicated, and lots more in the video that you can watch above.

Read the transcript.

Key takeaways from the video

One of the recommendations that Cath Chapman shares in the video above is to work together with other parents in your peer group or school circle to set rules, boundaries and curfews together. “The rule is that the young people are not allowed to go to the party until the parents have got [all the] information and are happy about it, she says.

If something goes wrong a a party, make sure your teenager knows they can call you. “When [teenagers are] in a situation [where someone is in trouble], they don't want to call an ambulance because think the police are going to get called,” she adds. “In most instances when paramedics are called to a situation like that, the police are not called. The most important thing is keeping the young person and their friends safe.”

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              We acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present. We recognise connection to Country as integral to health and wellbeing.

              We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporters.

              ReachOut values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.

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