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THE IMPACT OF harmful drinking on Irish children by their parents has been outlined by a cross-party group at Leinster House.
Chaired by new senator Frances Black, the new Group on Alcohol Harm is seeking to draw attention to the children of such parents, who Black describes as “amongst the most vulnerable in society”.
Broadly speaking, the new group will seek to champion the new Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, which aims to introduce minimum pricing among other measures, as a means of preventing alcohol-related parental harm to children.
The effects of such parental alcohol abuse is described as a “hidden harm” by Black – not often visible in public and for the most part confined to behind closed doors.
62% of child neglect cases in Ireland result from alcohol abuse
One in seven child welfare cases are due to parental drug or alcohol abuse
Alcohol is a factor in a third of unnatural deaths involving Irish children
Similarly, alcohol is seen to be a factor in 75% of cases involving social workers applying for special care status for Irish teenagers
271,000 children under 15 years of age in Ireland are living with parents who are regular ‘risky’ drinkers
Meanwhile, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Children to Children (ISPCC) recently ran a survey of 9,000 Irish children aged between 12 and 18 concerning their experiences regarding their parents and alcohol. Many of the comments in the survey are telling:
Parents won’t be able to have a proper conversation because they are too drunk to even remember what you’ve said.
You feel invisible.
Dad comes home drunk some nights and because he is drunk he starts fights in the family.
They just chose alcohol over children.
Roars at me and calls me scumbag and other bad words which hurt my feelings.
My mum was an alcoholic, fights and drunkenness at home scared me. She has been sober for 10 years but it was a stressful time.
It worries me; I can’t get on with my life as I am taking care of my mum.
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Prevalent
“It is so prevalent in Ireland,” Grainia Long, chief executive of the ISPCC, tells TheJournal.ie. Long says that, prior to the Oireachtas briefing, the ISPCC undertook a review of their Childline files and found a “considerable amount of concerned children and young people concerning alcohol abuse”.
“You’re looking at the kind of cases where a parent is neglecting their child, leaving them alone for long periods, or the child may be suffering from poor nutrition,” she says.
Parents are less affectionate, they’re not hugging their children, or they’re showing heightened levels of aggression, or in worse cases they’re smacking or slapping their kids.
She says that the effect is seasonal in many cases: “It can run around sporting events, or things like communions or confirmations – and children end up hating those kind of events.
Eventually what happens is a child stops trusting their parent, and when it comes to making big decisions they don’t talk to their mum or dad, and that lasts throughout childhood unless they look for help.
A child’s mental health health is extremely vulnerable in such situations, says Long.
“If their parents frequently drink to excess, a child will be stressed and worried. They won’t sleep because they don’t know when their parents are coming home,” she says.
Such children end up being worriers, and worried about the kind of things children shouldn’t have to be concerned about.
And then of course you have the pattern of replication, and children drinking themselves. Even worse – they can be encouraged to drink by their own parents.
The new alcohol and public health bill is a start when it comes to dealing with the problem, adds Long.
“It’s imperfect legislation, but it’s a start – a very, very good strong start, and we wholeheartedly support it and anything that will encourage a more sensible approach to alcohol consumption in Ireland.
Children are the ones who suffer when we take our current attitude. It’s time to break that cycle.
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Oh yeah introducing minimum pricing is going to help these children, why do they think these parents will suddenly stop drinking?, actually you might say making drink more expensive might even be worse ie less money for food and clothing for these vulnerable children?.
You’re right these parents aren’t going to just suddenly stop drinking because of a price rise but they’re not the ones the price rise is aimed at. This is aimed at alcohol misuse in general and I’d guess a price rise is aimed at teenagers, the future parents, in an effort to curb future problems.
It is not as simplistic as that. It is the underlying reasons that need to be addressed like stress, depression, trauma, addiction,mental health in general . Alcohol is mostly used as a way to self medicate, a pain killer if you will.
The price rise wasn’t enforced because the government suddenly cares about its citizens, it was cynically employed at the behest of the powerful vinters lobbies and pub landlords. More and more people were using off licences and chose to entertain at home rather than be ripped off at their local boozer.
“It is not as simplistic as that. It is the underlying reasons that need to be addressed like stress, depression, trauma, addiction,mental health in general . Alcohol is mostly used as a way to self medicate, a pain killer if you will.”
*I meant to add that its used by those who abuse it as a way to self medicate.
I never said it was simple but they are trying to address all aspects of the problem, the price rise (unpopular as it maybe) is only a small part of the bill. It’s the journal picking up what they know will bring reactions from readers. Frances black is doing good work in the addiction field, particularly with families. It’s the journal who are simplifying what is being done
There are a huge amount of people who suffer from some level of depression and don’t abuse alcohol, many will of course take a drink but will take their responsibility as parents too, there are too many people binge drinking but that is not driven by low prices it is gluttony and an f you attitude to society. These are the things that need to be tackled, too many parents these days think it is the states responsibility to make it easy to raise their kids.
Alcohol can be fun, but if its abused, by Christ the depression can last for days. I remember being hungover for 3 days after heavy weekends in my early 20s. Perhaps an option would be legalise cannabis, and set up cafes. Imagine that, little old Ireland taking the lead in Europe(after Amsterdam). People will always self medicate, its a result of the modern dog eat dog society we live in. Legalise weed and society would be happier and healthier.
I had a near neighbour, a ‘homemaker’ lady with three children, who used to hit the wine for a few days about once a month or so. She would just abandon all care of the kids and housework for that time; so ourselves and some other local families would feed the kids and even give them clothes changes until she re-surfaced. Odd thing was that the husband (whom nobody ever saw drinking – yet alone drunk and had a decent job) was in some sort of denial and breezed about in a ‘business as usual’ way even with herself scuttered and the kids effectively living in different houses during her time outs. Sort of ‘don’t ask/don’t tell’ situation – odd to look back on now. The kids would have been about 6 to 10 when they moved into the area and this went on for over 8 years when they left the neighbourhood – probably 5 years ago – supposedly yer man was moving back to the country on some early retirement gig but details were scarce on this. I wonder to this day how they all shaped out.
Michael you say the husband was oblivious and didn’t want to do anything. So why didn’t you bring it too your local Garda attention? Would be a better solution then offloading on the Journal?
Nothing has changed in 50 years and won’t change now as long as people won’t take personal responsibility. People who tolerate abuse of any type in the home should take responsibility for changing their own situation. If they can’t call the police and get help. Our politicians only line their pockets and that won’t change either. The charities line their pockets and it is up to individuals to mind their own children and themselves.
Mindful Irish, the nature of someone who is addicted to a substance is one where their ability to make rational, responsible decisions is hampered, or even destroyed if the addiction is advanced enough, so while I can see where you’re coming from about the futility of calling on services, offering simplistic solutions to highly complex problems is about as useful as going on a HSE waiting list…..
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