Heavy drinking by parents is doing so much damage to children that a national inquiry into the scale of the problem is needed, two influential charities demand today.
Little is being done despite the widespread suffering parental drinking causes, according to a new report from the Children’s Society and Alcohol Concern.
Around 2.6m children in the UK live in a household where at least one parent’s drinking puts them at serious risk of neglect. More than 100 children, some aged just five, call Childline every week with concerns about a parent’s alcohol or drug abuse.
“It’s shocking that, in spite of the worrying numbers of children affected by parents’ heavy drinking and domestic abuse, so little is being done to address this,” said Don Shenker, Alcohol Concern’s chief executive. “The whole system sweeps the problem under the carpet.”
Shenker said because of the secrecy and stigma involved, millions of children are simply left to do their best in incredibly difficult circumstances: “A government inquiry must look at all aspects of parental alcohol misuse so that we can improve outcomes for these children.”
Anne Milton, the public health minister, said the study “paints a shocking picture, which is why we must identify early on children and families that need support.” She will help launch the report today at the House of Lords with Tim Loughton, the children’s minister.
“Problematic alcohol use by parents is highlighted by social workers as more prevalent than drug use,” said Dr Sarah Galvani, chair of the British Association of Social Workers special interest group in alcohol and other drugs. “Alongside the overlapping experiences of domestic violence and mental ill-health, parental alcohol and drug use are the factors that repeatedly put children at risk of serious harm.”
A third of social workers have reportedly received no training on alcohol or drugs, the report said and, of the remainder, half had been given three hours or less.
Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the Children’s Society, said: “We are calling on the government to make sure that everyone who needs either training or education to deal with parental substance abuse is given the appropriate assistance.”
The Guardian Uk