Young children affected by drink and drug abusing parents

Thousands of worried young children across the UK are seeking advice from a charity concerned about their parent’s drink or drug abuse.

A new report from the NSPCC, revealed that 5,700 calls from children, some as young as five years old, contacted ChildLine needing to talk to someone about the problem.

Many of the children were found to be suffering additional abuse at the hands of their parents including sexually, physically beaten or neglect.
 
One ten year-old-girl told the helpline: “My mum drinks all the time. She leaves me alone lots of the time. I feel scared and lonely. I look after mum when she drinks and put her to bed.  She shouts and hits me. I don’t want to feel pain. I want to die.”

The excessive drinking by parents prompted more than 4000 children to make calls, with 35 per cent of these youngsters also suffering physical abuse.

Drug abuse by parents was found to be a problem in 2,283 calls by children.

Children’s services manager for ChildLine in South West, Cheryl Marshall said: “The fallout from parental 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.”