Children whose parents misuse alcohol: a study of services and needs

Despite the fact that many children are affected by parental alcohol misuse, both services and research have largely concentrated on adults. Recently, projects have been set up to assist children, but developments have been piecemeal. This article reports on a qualitative study which learned directly from children, their parents and some young adults what they saw as the effects on children of excessive drinking by one or both parents. The most common consequences were distress at witnessing violence to the other parent or to the home; verbal abuse towards the children; feelings of shame; and taking on caring and protective roles. However, the children were not passive victims and usually took active steps to tackle the drinking or modify its impact Those in the sample usually had at least one family member who helped them and was trusted. Nevertheless, many wished they could meet with others in the same position, so they could feel less isolated and learn from each other. The need was identified for access to a network of services with group work, individual counselling, family mediation and educational components.