Event Details

Key Speakers

	Jenny Clifton, Principal Policy Advisor, Office of the Children's Commissioner
	Claire McCarthy, Director of Public Affairs, 4 Children
	Jonathan Birdwell, Director of Citizens Programme, DEMOS
	Nick Barton, Chief Executive, Action on Addiction

Overview

Over the years alcohol policy in the UK has been predominantly shaped around the negative consequences of harmful drinking on an individual’s health and behaviour. However, due to its largely hidden nature, parental alcohol misuse has received little attention at a national or local level. Yet with around 2.5 million children in the UK living with hazardous drinkers with many more who have never come to the attention of services, and over 8 million people affected by a family member’s alcohol use, there is an urgent need to address the significant impact parental alcohol misuse has on children and childhood.

Resulting in an unstable and unsupportive household, neglect or even cruelty, parental alcohol misuse can cause a range of poor outcomes for a child, including: behavioural and long-term psychological problems, poor educational attainment, offending behaviour and the normalisation of substance misuse. Taking on a caring role within the family at an early age and suffering from guilt or isolation are also common in children of alcohol misusers. Although the impact of a parent’s drinking problem will vary from family to family, with the right support the harm to a child can be significantly reduced.

A recent report by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, ‘Silent Voices – Supporting Children and Young People Affected by Parental Alcohol Misuse’ (September 2012), stresses the need to listen and respond to the needs of children. Increased awareness of parental alcohol misuse and its impact amongst both the public and practitioners, alongside better training and resources for social workers are vital to ensure children and families receive support earlier. The report also makes clear that stronger partnership working and innovative commissioning are essential to delivering a joined-up, ‘whole family’ approach.

This special symposium offers an invaluable opportunity for social workers, education and health practitioners, third sector practitioners and key stakeholders to explore how best to address parental alcohol misuse and safeguard children against its harmful consequences.

Delegates will:

• Assess how to tackle parental alcohol misuse more effectively at a national and local level
• Consider how to increase awareness and understanding of alcohol misuse amongst the public and practitioners
• Explore how to identify families in need earlier and to better support strong and stable parenting
• Examine how to safeguard children against the harmful impact of parental alcohol misuse, building a child’s resilience
• Discuss how to strengthen multi-agency working to deliver a ‘whole family’ approach

Programme

Who Should Attend?

• Drug and Alcohol Action Teams (DAATs)
• Children's Services and Families Services Officers
• Child and Family Health Teams
• Child Protection Teams
• Adult and Community Education Providers
• CAMHS Practitioners and Professionals including Parental Support Workers
• Adult Mental Health Professionals
• Local Safeguarding Children Boards
• Midwives
• Sure Start Centres
• Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Teachers
• Anti-Social Behaviour Teams (ASB Teams)
• Behaviour Improvement Partnerships
• Behaviour Support Worker and Teacher
• Health Visitors
• Children’s and Youth Services
• Children's Health Service Professionals
• Children's Trusts and Children's Centres
• Commissioning and Delivery Teams
• Community Development Managers
• Directors of Children's Services
• Domestic Violence Teams
• Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinators
• Early Intervention and Prevention Teams
• Early Support Programme Workers
• Early Years and Childcare Practitioners
• Family and Systemic Psychotherapists
• Family Information Service Workers
• Family Intervention Project Workers
• Family Nurse Partnership Practitioners
• Family Pathfinder Workers
• Family Support and Outreach Teams
• Parent Support Advisors
• Parenting Coaches
• Parenting Early Intervention Pathfinder
• Parenting Partnerships
• Safeguarding Teams
• Education Providers
• SEN and Achievement Teams
• Education Welfare Teams
• Educational Family Support Worker
• Educational Psychologists
• Educational Social Workers
• CAFCASS Workers
• Police Service
• Community Safety Teams
• Youth Offending Teams
• Youth Workers
• Youth Justice Liaison Officers
• Housing Association Workers
• Housing Support Workers
• Learning Mentors
• Neighbourhood and Community Services
• Social Exclusion and Neighbourhood Renewal Teams
• Social Workers and Social Services Officers
• Teachers and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators
• Integrated Offender Management Services
• Integrated Strategic Services
• Employability, Training and Worklessness Teams
• Third Sector Practitioners
• Academics and Researchers
• Local Authorities and Councillors
• DfE, DWP, DoH and other Central Government Departments and Agencies

“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… 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. They should not need to do so if there are services prepared to support them and their families at an earlier stage.
At a time of great changes in health service … it is essential to highlight the significance of this problem to ensure that services are adequately targeted at this high level of hidden harm.”
— Children's Commissioner for England, September 2012

“The impact of parental alcohol misuse is a problem which must be addressed by health professionals, those in social care, treatment services, and others in the child’s life. It requires a coordinated, collaborative approach. It is a problem with which parents must seek help, and one we all need to address.”
— ‘Silent Voices: Supporting Children and Young People Affected By Parental Alcohol Misuse’, September 2012