Blight of booze in the home

A new report says binge-drinking parents may be damaging family life Rod McPhee reports.

IT’S a pattern repeated in households up and down the country: mum and dad put the kids to bed and take the opportunity to unwind with a few glasses of wine or a pint or two of beer.

But according to a new report the amount of alcohol consumed by parents is a growing cause for concern, only matched by the growing number of kids living with parents classified as binge drinkers.

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The study, released by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC), showed that nearly one in three British children live with a binge drinking mum or dad – that’s the equivalent of around 3.4m youngsters.

Particularly worrying is the yardstick used to define binge drinking. In the UK it stands at six units of alcohol per session for a woman and eight units of alcohol per session for a man.

Which means that a couple of pints of strong beer or a 
few large glasses of wine 
may just tip you into the danger zone.

The report, Silent Voices: supporting children and young people affected by parental alcohol misuse, highlights the extent of the problem.

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Around 93,500 babies aged under 12 months in the UK are living with a parent who is classified as a “hazardous” drinker (increasing the risk of harm to oneself or others), and approximately 31,000 babies under a year live with a parent who would be classified as a “dependent” drinker.

Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “The effects of parents’ alcohol misuse on children may be hidden for years, while children try both to cope with the impact on them, and manage the consequences for their families.

“Our research gives a timely reality check, but more importantly a fresh perspective by drawing attention to what children say about the problems it causes in their own lives, now.

“It does not concern only child protection professionals, though alcohol abuse can put children’s safety at sustained, serious risk. The problem affects large numbers of children who never come to the notice of children’s social care.

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“They should not need to do so if there are services prepared to support them 
and their families at an 
earlier stage.”

The report’s recommendations are directed at Government, policy makers, health and social care professionals, and those who commission and provide local services.

The OCC said during the last 10 to 15 years improvements have been made.

“Despite this, there remain limitations to the progress made in respect of alcohol misuse,” the OCC said.

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“The improvement in support for children requires a co-ordinated, collaborative approach. It is a problem with which parents must seek help, and one we all need to address.”

A Government spokesman said: “The earlier that help is given to vulnerable children and families, the more chance there is of turning lives around and protecting children.

“Our reforms are focused on cutting unnecessary bureaucracy so professionals can identify and tackle problems as early as possible.

“We are working with the alcohol industry which has pledged to take one billion units out of the UK’s alcohol intake and introduce a minimum unit price.”

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