Alcohol Help

Responding to the publication of today’s Children’s Plan, Addaction Chief Executive Deborah Cameron, said:

“The government has been burying its head in the sand about the dangerous levels of drinking among young people for far too long. Shocking figures showing alcohol consumption has doubled among young people who drink over the last fifteen years seem finally to be having some impact.

“But it would be a huge letdown if this recognition was followed by inadequate plans for delivery on the ground. Schools can only play a role in spotting and dealing with drug and alcohol misuse among pupils if teachers are given proper training and space to do so in an already crowded curriculum.

“Today’s Plan also recognizes the devastating impact growing up in families where a parent has a drug or alcohol problem is having on well over a million children in England and Wales. We expect to see more detail on how this will be tackled in next year’s drug strategy, but we are clear that families must have a chance to tackle problems before they have reached crisis point, before children are taken into care or families have irretrievably broken down.

“Investment is urgently needed in schemes that intervene early and prevent drug or alcohol problems from carrying on into the next generation.”

Addaction