A community artist who educates young people about the dangers of alcohol is urging everyone to give their views on the Government’s drive to provide clear messages for parents and teenagers on the health effects and risks of drinking.
Kim Wiltshire, from Trafford, works with young people across Greater Manchester to hammer home the potential social and psychological impacts of drinking alcohol through the mediums of writing, art and drama.
She recently helped young people to create their own feature film about the hazards of drinking, called "The Amazing Doctor Sober". The film received its world premiere at Manchester’s Printworks and was so successful that young people involved were invited to London to meet the Prime Minister to discuss their work.
Kim, who works for the Manchester-based arts and health charity Lime Art, said: "Young people drinking alcohol is hugely problematic, booze is so cheap to buy and children see their parents drinking so assume it is ok for them to drink too. I would back any public consultation that highlights this important issue, and would encourage young people to take part and make sure they have their say."
The Government’s five-point guidance document was launched last month in response to calls from parents for clear messages on the health effects and risks of young people drinking alcohol.
Most parents may see the unconscious, drunken 11-year-old in the park as a long way from the experience of their own children, yet an introduction to alcohol too young can store up problems for the future. Just under a quarter of children aged 11 to 15 said they get alcohol from their parents (source: NHS Information Centre).
The Chief Medical Officers’ Guidance on the Consumption of Alcohol by Children and Young People advises:
1. Children and their parents and carers are advised that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. However, if children drink alcohol, it should not be until at least the age of 15 years.
2. If young people aged 15 to 17 years consume alcohol, it should always be with the guidance of a parent or carer or in a supervised environment.
3. Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people. If 15 to 17 year olds do consume alcohol they should do so infrequently and certainly on no more than one day a week. Young people aged 15 to 17 years should never exceed recommended adult daily limits and on days when they drink, consumption should usually be below such levels.
4. The importance of parental influences on children’s alcohol use should be communicated to parents, carers and professionals. Parents and carers require advice on how to respond to alcohol use and misuse by children.
5. Support services must be available for children and young people who have alcohol related problems and their parents
The harsh reality is that by the age of 15 many young people will have already consumed alcohol, often drinking weekly. Ten per cent of 11 – 14 year olds in both Oldham and Wigan said in an Ofsted survey they have been drunk three or more times in the past four weeks (source: Ofsted Tell Us3 survey 2008).
Aimed at children aged ten to 14, "The Amazing Doctor Sober" follows the story of Curtis, whose mother becomes an alcoholic after his father’s death. While his friends drink alcohol in the park, Curtis retreats into a fantasy world before realising he has to confront his mother about her excess drinking.
Kim has worked on a variety of projects for Lime Art, an arts in health charity within the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, including creating the DVD package "Losing It" which is being distributed to schools across Greater Manchester to teach teenagers aged 14 to 16 about the pitfalls of binge drinking, and the impact it can have on families. She has also helped young people in Salford create their own magazine called FKD on the dangers of alcohol and substance misuse.
She added: "Sometimes I work with 12-year-olds who turn up to workshops drunk. There are a large number of teenagers whose first experience of sex is while they are drunk. It’s a hugely complex issue.
"One major reason is that children are bored and consume alcohol because they don’t have enough to do. Some children even get their parents to buy them alcohol, as their parents view is that they would rather they drink at home where they are safe rather than in a park. More needs to be done to make children aware of the social impact of alcohol, rather than condoning children who drink. Young people need to have a voice and be involved in this consultation."
Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer for England, led the development of the guidance, following extensive research and work with a panel of experts who reviewed the latest available medical evidence and data from across the UK on the impact of alcohol and young people.
He said: "This guidance aims to support parents, give them the confidence to set boundaries and to help them engage with young people about drinking and risks associated with it.
"More than 10,000 children end up in hospital every year due to drinking and research tells us that 15 per cent of young people think it is normal to get drunk at least once a week. They are putting themselves at risk of liver damage, depression and problems with brain development and memory. Resulting social issues can lead to children doing less well at school and struggling to interact with friends and family."
Department for Children, Schools and Families