Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to support the children of alcoholics.

Alcohol addiction has a devastating impact on individuals and their families and it is unacceptable that children bear the brunt of their parents’ condition.

Public Health England is undertaking a range of measures to address this issue. This includes improving the evidence base; enhancing data; ensuring local authorities are given high quality advice and support in relation to alcohol treatment services, and any safeguarding implications; and social marketing.

The Government has also put in place a range of measures to help ensure children are provided with accurate information and the tools they need to make informed decisions about their relationship with alcohol. This includes through the FRANK drug information and advice service; Family Nurse Partnerships to help parents within potentially vulnerable families to develop their parenting capacity; and tailored and co-ordinated support via the Troubled Families programme.

The Department is also meeting with Parliamentarians and stakeholders to investigate what more can be done to reduce the harms of addiction and provide more support to children and their families.

A strategy is being developed to ensure that the children of alcoholics are given the support they need.