600,000 children exposed to parents’ hazardous drinking

UP to 600,000 children are exposed to hazardous drinking by their parents on a regular basis, according to new research.

The study, written by alcohol policy consultant Dr Ann Hope, said alcohol and other drugs were the primary cause of concern in 15% of child welfare and abuse cases.

The report — Hidden Realities: Children’s Exposure to Risks from Parental Drinking in Ireland – was commissioned by Alcohol Forum, a charity based in the north west.

Speaking at the launch, Minister for Primary Care and the National Drugs Strategy, Roisín Shortall said: “I wish to commend the Alcohol Forum and Dr Ann Hope for this important report. This provides further valuable information on the harmful effect that alcohol abuse can have on children and families as a whole.”

Dr Hope said: “Over half of all adults who have children living in their home reported regular, hazardous drinking. This equates to 587,000 children — over half of whom are under 15 years of age — being exposed to risk from parental hazardous drinking on a regular basis.”

Regular hazardous drinking is drinking four or more pints of beer or equivalent (a bottle of wine or seven spirits drinks) per occasion, at least once a month.

“Adults with children in their home are more likely to drink at home on a regular basis and are more likely to report family problems as a result of someone else’s drinking, in comparison to families with no children living in the house,” said Dr Hope.

According to the report, the national drinking survey 2010 showed that one in ten adults report that children, for whom they have parental responsibility, experience at least one or more harms: verbal abuse, physical abuse, witness to violence in the home or left in unsafe situations, as a result of someone else’s drinking.

Dr Hope said only the most severe child welfare and neglect cases involving parental alcohol abuse tend to come to the attention of social work and treatment services.

She said HSE national child protection information shows that in one in seven (15%) child welfare and child abuse cases, the primary reason of concern involves drugs/alcohol abuse by family members.

Norah Gibbons, director of advocacy at Barnardos, said: “The report emphasises the impact of Ireland’s relationship with alcohol on children and it paints a grim picture.”