Helpline contacted over 9,000 times – an average of 25 times a day – by people with concerns over drug addict or alcoholic parents
Picture posed by model(Image: PA)
Child helplines are being inundated with calls as thousands of youngsters are living with ‘drug addict or alcoholic’ parents.
The NSPCC said people had reached out more than 9,000 times about a parent misusing alcohol or drugs across the UK in a single year.
One neighbour told the Helpline: “I’m calling as I’m worried about three young children in our building.
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“Both of the parents are heavy drinkers; they seem to be drunk all the time, even during the day: one time I witnessed the mother completely out of it, lying in the front garden, whilst her kids were wandering around the street in their underwear.
“I’m really worried about the environment these kids are living in.”
In one heart-breaking call, a teenager opened up on having to be a parent to her younger siblings, including bathing and feeding them while her own mum was ‘drinking every day’.
Ashley * told her NSPCC practitioner about her mum’s heavy drinking and the impact it had on her and family when she was just 15-years-old.
She said: “My mum used to drink every day as far back as I can remember. Her drinking meant that I had to be the mum to my siblings and I didn’t really have a life.
“I was responsible for making sure my siblings all got fed, were dressed and bathed and in school. I cooked and cleaned around the house too.
“I didn’t feel like I was a child, I felt like I was growing up too quickly. I didn’t speak to anyone about what was going on at home because I didn’t realise it was wrong. That was just my life, and I thought it was normal.”
Thousands more children are thought to be living with the very same issue. NSPCC’s Helpline was contacted 9,192 times – an average of 25 times a day – by people across the UK concerned about a parent or carer’s drug or alcohol use between April 2024 and March 2025.
Callers spoke of overhearing arguments and furniture being thrown, to seeing parents inebriated and collapsed, and children appearing dirty and neglected.
Children at risk. Picture posed by model.(Image: PA)
In the same period last year, 73,250 children in England who were subject to a Child in Need assessment 1 were identified as having a parent who misused alcohol.
This included 7,330 children in the West Midlands. According to Nacoa (the National Association for Children of Alcoholics), one in five children is affected by a parent’s drinking.
Adults who are concerned about children’s wellbeing as a result of an addict in their life can also seek support from the helpline.
Parents and carers who regularly abuse drugs and alcohol can lead chaotic lives and may be unable to recognise their children’s needs and care for them adequately, increasing the risk of harm, says the NSPCC.
This does not necessarily mean that a child will experience abuse and neglect, but it makes it more difficult for their needs to be met and can have a serious impact on a child’s emotional wellbeing.
Parental substance misuse can have a devastating impact on children at different stages in their development. During pregnancy, drinking and drug use can put babies at risk of birth defects, premature birth, being born underweight and withdrawal symptoms.
In later years, children are at risk of behavioural or emotional problems; poor attendance at school or low grades; physical and emotional abuse or neglect; or being exposed to criminal activity.
Kam Thandi, NSPCC Helpline Director, said: “Most parents and carers who drink alcohol do so in moderation, which doesn’t present an increased risk of harm to their children.
“However, when they take it in large quantities over a long period of time it can lead to abuse and neglect with serious consequences for their future.
“We want children to know they are not alone and there is help and support available to them. Our Childline service is here to listen to any child, and our NSPCC Helpline is there to provide advice and support to adults who are concerned about parental substance misuse.”
Childline is there 24 hours a day, free and in confidence, on 0800 1111. Nacoa UK’s Helpline is available for everyone affected by a parent’s drinking – children, adults and professionals. They can be reached on 0800 358 3456 or at helpline@nacoa.org.uk.
Have you been affected by this personally? We would like to hear your story. You can contact us by emailing stephanie.balloo@reachplc.com
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