The impact of substance misuse on families
It is estimated that there are up to 350,000 children of problem drug users in the UK and up to 1.3 million children living with parents who misuse alcohol. A recent enquiry undertaken by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs looked at children of parents whose drugs use has a serious negative impact for them and others. The outcome published in a report entitled Hidden Harm found that there were adverse and cumulative consequences for children according to their stage of development. This includes a failure to thrive, a range of emotional cognitive, behaviour and psychological problems, poor educational attainment and early substance misuse and offending behaviour.
For children living with alcohol misusing parents the impact is just as shattering. A report by Turning Point highlighted that parental alcohol misuse can begin pre-birth and lead to a 'sustained campaign legacy into adulthood' where children have to cope with a 'multitude of behavioral, emotional and social problems'. While it is widely acknowledged that both alcohol or drug misuse can have a significantly adverse effect on parenting, it remains one of the most overlooked and underdeveloped areas of service provision available for both parents and children.
The Government's drug strategy
In 1998, in response to an increase in the number of dependent drug users in the UK, the government set out a ten-year strategy for combating drug misuse entitled Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain. The focus of the strategy was to control the demand for and supply of harmful illegal drugs and increase the number of problem drug users in treatment. An assessment of its impact suggests that since the millennium drug use has broadly stabilised despite remaining high; and that drug dependent users entering treatment has risen from 85,000 in 1998 to 181,000 in 2004/5 (UK Drug Commission).
In February 2008 the drug strategy was renewed by a new ten-year plan entitled Drugs: protecting families and communities – the 2008 drug strategy. At the heart of this new strategy is a greater focus on families, particularly addressing the needs of parents and children by ensuring that substance misuse within families is identified early and appropriate support is offered. The strategy also aims to improve the quality and coverage of specialist drug treatment for young people, by strengthening and clarifying the role of schools and children's services.
In the early 1990s excess alcohol consumption among sections of the population was also increasing. It led to the first cross-government Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy which was renewed last year with Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy. This strategy identified under 18s as a priority to address the issue of 'binge drinking' and related anti-social behaviour, and the effectiveness of alcohol and drug education in schools.
In spring 2008 the government will introduce a Youth Alcohol Action Plan to strengthen the evidence base on young people and alcohol, and examine how to deter them from buying alcohol and drinking in public places.