A child protection helpline receives an average of 25 calls every single day from people worried about parental substance misuse, new NSPCC figures show.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children logged 9,192 contacts across the UK last year about parents or carers misusing drugs or alcohol. The charity released the figures to coincide with Children of Alcoholics Week, an annual awareness campaign running from 8 to 14 February and led by Nacoa UK, the National Association for Children of Alcoholics.

How Widespread Is Parental Substance Misuse?

The numbers paint a troubling picture. In England alone, Child in Need assessments identified 73,250 children living with a parent who misused alcohol. In the South West, assessments flagged 6,220 children in similar situations.

Nacoa UK estimates that one in five children in the UK experiences the effects of parental drinking. Millions of young people grow up in households where alcohol shapes daily life and causes lasting harm.

What Children Affected by Substance Misuse Are Living With

People contacting the NSPCC helpline describe deeply distressing home environments. Callers report witnessing arguments, furniture being thrown, and parents collapsed while drunk. Some children turn up dirty and neglected, with nobody meeting their basic needs.

One neighbour rang the helpline after growing increasingly worried about a family in their building. “Both of the parents are heavy drinkers; they seem to be drunk all the time, even during the day,” they said. “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.”

Such stories are far from rare. Parental substance misuse often creates chaotic home environments where children’s emotional and physical needs get overlooked. Older children face a higher risk of behavioural difficulties, poor school attendance, neglect, abuse, and exposure to criminal activity.

The harm can start even before birth. Substance misuse during pregnancy raises the likelihood of birth defects, premature birth, low birth weight, and withdrawal symptoms in newborns.

Children Carrying Adult Responsibilities Due to Parental Substance Misuse

Growing up with a parent misusing drugs or alcohol forces children to carry responsibilities they should never have to bear. Many step into adult roles while they are still young, quietly managing households and looking after younger siblings.

Ashley was 15 when she first reached out to the NSPCC. Her mother had been drinking every day for as long as she could remember. Running the household had fallen entirely on Ashley’s shoulders.

“Her drinking meant that I had to be the mum to my siblings and I didn’t really have a life,” she said. “Making sure my siblings got fed, dressed, bathed and into school was down to me. The cooking and cleaning fell on my shoulders too. Growing up felt impossible when so much adult responsibility sat on a child.”

For years, she told nobody about what was happening. “I didn’t realise it was wrong,” she said. “That was just my life, and I thought it was normal.”

Ashley’s story reflects the experience of countless children who suffer in silence, unaware that help exists or that life could be different.

Support Is Available for Families

Kam Thandi, director of the NSPCC Helpline, stressed that alcohol misuse does not automatically put children at risk, but sustained heavy drinking changes things significantly.

“Most parents and carers who drink alcohol do so in moderation, which doesn’t present an increased risk of harm to their children,” she said. “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.”

Thandi urged children in these situations to speak out. “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.”

Hilary Henriques MBE, chief executive of Nacoa, called for compassion toward both children and parents caught in these situations.

“Every child deserves to live a creative and meaningful life,” she said. “Sadly, when alcohol is the family secret, children are more likely to experience family violence, neglect, and other problems. Most parents don’t choose this for their children; underlying problems drive the behaviour. These children need to know that this is not their fault, they did not cause it, and Nacoa UK will be here for them for as long as they wish.”

Where to Get Help

The NSPCC Helpline is a free, confidential service open to any adult with concerns about a child. Both services support those touched by parental substance misuse, whether a young person living through it or an adult worried about someone else.

Childline is available 24 hours a day on 0800 1111.

Nacoa UK’s helpline is open to anyone affected by a parent’s drinking. Call 0800 358 3456 or email helpline@nacoa.org.uk.

Source: dbrecoveryresources