Children fearful of parents drinking and taking drugs
10:48 - 09/08/2010
Children fearful of parents drinking ...
A report has revealed that over a hundred children, some of them as young as five, are calling ChildLine every week because they are scared about their parents drinking or taking drugs.
During 2009 alone, the 24-hour telephone service received thousands of calls from children, many of whom admitted that they were being beaten, sexually abused or neglected by parents under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The new report from ChildLine reveals that over 4,000 children called the helpline last year because they were worried about their parents’ excessive drinking while over 2,284 children reported parental drug misuse.
Children who contacted the free helpline because of their parents’ drinking were three times more likely to mention physical abuse than other children. They often also discussed family conflicts and sexual abuse.
Youngsters calling with concerns about their parent’s substance abuse were almost six times more likely to admit drug misuse themselves. Around 25% of them also mentioned physical abuse as a major problem and some also talked about family problems and sexual abuse.
These children are faced with a role reversal in which they are forced to look after their own parents and, in many cases, must care for their brothers and sisters too. However, the majority of children called were more concerned about their parents and the wider problems experienced by their families’ rather than their own suffering.
After the report was published, Head of ChildLine, Sue Minto, said: “The fallout from drug and alcohol abuse is a ticking time bomb in many children’s lives. It’s vital these children are helped before lasting damage occurs. The ChildLine service has given a voice to these hidden children, many of whom feel they have a shameful secret to hide. Many have never told anyone before calling us.”
First Response Training can offer a Child Protection training course to enable those who work closely with children to understand signs and types of abuse and be able to identify behavioural indicators of abuse. Head of ChildLine, Sue Minto, believes that teachers ‘are well placed’ to recognise when a child is in need and to offer help and, if appropriate, take action to prevent abuse.
Charlotte Potter, Head of Quality and Curriculum at First Response, says: “Our course has been designed to provide staff with an introduction to child protection. It will give people who work with children an understanding of the responsibilities for safeguarding children and covers what to do if you suspect abuse. In light of reports such as the one issued by ChildLine, this is a must for people working closely with children.”
Indeed, as Sue Minto says: “These children desperately need help to tackle their problems but feel they have no one to turn to. So they often end up caring for their siblings and even their own parents by themselves.”
For more information on Child Protection training, or any of our childcare courses, contact us today.
During 2009 alone, the 24-hour telephone service received thousands of calls from children, many of whom admitted that they were being beaten, sexually abused or neglected by parents under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The new report from ChildLine reveals that over 4,000 children called the helpline last year because they were worried about their parents’ excessive drinking while over 2,284 children reported parental drug misuse.
Children who contacted the free helpline because of their parents’ drinking were three times more likely to mention physical abuse than other children. They often also discussed family conflicts and sexual abuse.
Youngsters calling with concerns about their parent’s substance abuse were almost six times more likely to admit drug misuse themselves. Around 25% of them also mentioned physical abuse as a major problem and some also talked about family problems and sexual abuse.
These children are faced with a role reversal in which they are forced to look after their own parents and, in many cases, must care for their brothers and sisters too. However, the majority of children called were more concerned about their parents and the wider problems experienced by their families’ rather than their own suffering.
After the report was published, Head of ChildLine, Sue Minto, said: “The fallout from drug and alcohol abuse is a ticking time bomb in many children’s lives. It’s vital these children are helped before lasting damage occurs. The ChildLine service has given a voice to these hidden children, many of whom feel they have a shameful secret to hide. Many have never told anyone before calling us.”
First Response Training can offer a Child Protection training course to enable those who work closely with children to understand signs and types of abuse and be able to identify behavioural indicators of abuse. Head of ChildLine, Sue Minto, believes that teachers ‘are well placed’ to recognise when a child is in need and to offer help and, if appropriate, take action to prevent abuse.
Charlotte Potter, Head of Quality and Curriculum at First Response, says: “Our course has been designed to provide staff with an introduction to child protection. It will give people who work with children an understanding of the responsibilities for safeguarding children and covers what to do if you suspect abuse. In light of reports such as the one issued by ChildLine, this is a must for people working closely with children.”
Indeed, as Sue Minto says: “These children desperately need help to tackle their problems but feel they have no one to turn to. So they often end up caring for their siblings and even their own parents by themselves.”
For more information on Child Protection training, or any of our childcare courses, contact us today.
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