Kate opens counselling service to aid addicts and their families

Kate visited The Willows Primary School in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, to launch a project to reduce the impact of drug and alcohol addiction on children and their families.

The school counselling initiative is a partnership between charities Place2Be and Action on Addiction with funding from Comic Relief and the Royal Foundation whose patrons are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Kate, who is six months’ pregnant, met staff and volunteers from youth mental health services charity Place2Be, and children who have benefited from its work.

Action on Addiction will train, supervise and support Place2Be counsellors to deliver the programme in school settings across England.

Research suggests that more than a million children in the UK are living in homes where parental drug and alcohol
use has a detrimental impact
on their wellbeing and 
education.

In a speech in the school hall, Kate, who is patron of Action on Addiction and Place2Be told an audience: “Addiction is a hugely complex and destructive disease and its impact can be simply devastating. All too often, lives and families can be shattered by it.

“Through my Patronage of Action on Addiction, I feel fortunate to have met a wide range of inspirational people who have overcome addiction. It is so encouraging to see that with the right help – like that of Action on Addiction – it can be conquered.

“But those who are addicted are not the only victims. I have been struck by the profound and deeply damaging impact it has on the children of affected parents.

“Research has shown that children of those who are addicted are seven times more likely to have addiction problems themselves. They are also brought up surrounded by fear, instability and chaos.”