Understanding and responding to young people's substance use — why they use, what staff actually need to know about alcohol, cannabis, nicotine and the rest, vaping and smoking realities, spotting use and harm, emergencies, non-judgemental conversations that keep influence, house rules and the law across settings including supported living, the exploitation link, and referral routes that work.
What this course covers
- Understand why young people use substances, including the trauma and belonging links
- Recognise signs of use, escalating harm and dependence without paranoia
- Respond to substance-related emergencies calmly and correctly
- Hold non-judgemental conversations that keep influence and reduce harm
- Apply house rules, the law and referral routes across settings including supported living
How much does Substance Misuse, Smoking & Vaping training cost?
£4 per person on Care2Learn, with no minimum order and no subscription. If your team needs a full training matrix rather than one course, a subscription at £2 per learner per month covers every course in the catalogue — see the 2026 price comparison.
Who needs it
Staff supporting young people in any setting — children's homes, supported accommodation and supported living above all, where use happens on the premises and conversations land or don't. Managers get the escalation picture. Completion is recorded with the date taken and the date it is next due, so it appears correctly on your training matrix and can be evidenced at inspection.
What the learner receives
A certificate in their own name carrying the CPD Aligned seal, showing the completion date and the renewal date a year later, downloadable at any time. The record belongs to the learner, not just the employer — it travels with them rather than sitting in one provider's system.
Related courses
Providers usually assign these alongside Substance Misuse, Smoking & Vaping.
- Child Criminal Exploitation & County Lines — 45 min online, £4 per person
- Self-Harm & Suicide Awareness — 45 min online, £4 per person
- Risk Assessment & Safety Planning with Young People — 40 min online, £4 per person
- Mental Health Awareness — 45 min online, £4 per person
You can also browse the full catalogue, or read about the Care Certificate for staff new to care.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Substance Misuse, Smoking & Vaping training take?
About 40 min of e‑learning, across 12 sections with 14 assessment questions. Learners can stop and resume at any point, and it works on a phone.
What does Substance Misuse, Smoking & Vaping training cover?
By the end of the course a learner should be able to understand why young people use substances, including the trauma and belonging links; recognise signs of use, escalating harm and dependence without paranoia; respond to substance-related emergencies calmly and correctly. The full list of learning outcomes is set out above.
Is Substance Misuse, Smoking & Vaping CPD Aligned, and how is it assessed?
Yes — the certificate carries the CPD Aligned seal. The assessment is multiple choice with a pass mark of 70%; attempts are recorded and learners can retake it. Renewal is set at 12 months from the completion date, so the course reappears on your training matrix when it is due.
Does it give instructions about drug use?
No — there are no use instructions. The course covers why young people use, what staff need to know about the substances they will actually meet, vaping and smoking realities, spotting use and harm, responding to emergencies, and the non-judgemental conversations that keep young people talking. The legal framework is UK-wide.
Does this count towards the Care Certificate?
No — this is a standalone course rather than one of the Care Certificate standards. The Care Certificate is available as its own guided course for staff who are new to care.
Add Substance Misuse, Smoking & Vaping to your team
£4 per person, or included on a £2 per learner subscription.
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