During Schoolies

School leavers may have zero expectations of staying in contact with you while they're away celebrating their year 12 graduation at Schoolies week, but we encourage parents and guardians to stay in touch over this time.

• Before your teen heads off to Schoolies, lock in a communication plan with them. For example, you could arrange for them to message you at 10am every day or for you to call them at 3pm every afternoon.
• By day 3 and 4, they may be overtired, running out of money or are over being at Schoolies entirely. This is a very important time for parents to check in with their teen, especially if they have pre-existing mental health concerns. It’s a great time to see if your teen would like you to drop off a home cooked meal (if they are staying local), need any washing done, or would even like to come home for a night.
• Remind your teen they can call a trusted adult at any time if they need someone to talk to.
• Make sure that your teen knows that they can call you at any time and that you will be there to help them or their friends.
• Get the contact details for the friends your teen is staying with, and their parents. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your teen’s friends have your contact details and that they know they can contact you in the event of an emergency.
• Follow the Safer Schoolies for Parents Facebook page for updates and the latest information during Schoolies on the Gold Coast.