Children the victims of alcohol harm’s collateral damage
A third of children in Ireland are living with a parent who regularly binge drinks or is dependent on alcohol and a quarter of adults (nearly 1 million) are living with the legacy of growing up with the trauma of alcohol harm in the home. This Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) is sadly often a gateway to multiple other ACEs including parental mental health problems, domestic violence, sexual abuse and loss of a parent. Living with ongoing uncertainty, fear and instability alongside the fundamental love and hope for change wreaks enormous consequences in terms of the child’s neuro-development with impacts on their social, emotional, mental and physical well-being. It is commonly associated with problems such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders, impacts on education, relationship problems and much more. The lifetime costs to Ireland of ACEs are estimated at around 2% of GDP – €8 billion annually.
Given the scale of the issue you would expect that this would be discussed frequently in the media, questions would be asked in the Oireachtas, that the Ministers across the multiple government departments that are impacted by alcohol harm issues would have come together to produce a coherent approach, which would be well funded and informed by the copious research on the topic and indeed by the many individuals with lived experience of this trauma. Instead, there is near silence on this most hidden of alcohol harms.
Ending the Silence
Alcohol Action Ireland’s Silent Voices initiative aims to raise awareness of the issues and put forward policies which could help to address the harms. On our platform, Shared Voices, many have generously contributed their own painful experiences which vividly illustrate the research in this area. Analysis of the stories shows common themes such as shame or fear and a frequent comment that people in the wider family and others in authority knew but did nothing. Our annual End the Silence Week, which this year runs from 4-8 November, highlights these issues and draws together national and international research and practice.
It is perhaps not surprising that this is a very hidden harm from alcohol. There is often omerta in the family where the child quickly learns not to broach the topic either in the home or outside. There are occasional insights given through the arts with some stunning books and films which shine a light in this area. ‘Dublin’s One City One Book’ for 2020, Tatty by Christine Dwyer Hickey, Aisling Creegan’s I Am Someone and Joe McGucken’s recently released short film Hometime come to mind. But mostly what is presented to us about alcohol comes through the gloss of industry spin as a risk-free product which is essential to all occasions – family, sporting, musical or indeed just an everyday item.
When its darker side is examined, it tends to be in relation to the individual drinker, sometimes with an uplifting story of recovery with little reference to the family and still less to the developing child. When alcohol-sponsored sporting events are shown on primetime TV there is no reference to the accompanying increase in drink-fuelled domestic violence that comes with such events. Shortly we will be seeing a glut of beautifully crafted seasonal alcohol ads which are transmitted with no thought of what they convey to those for whom Christmas was and often still is a time of dread as inevitable heavy sessions start earlier and earlier.
So much of this makes for uncomfortable reading and it can be easier to turn away from the very dark side of Ireland’s cheapest, most widely available and harmful drug.
Responses
Alcohol harm in the home dominates the work of many children’s agencies and organisations. The ISPCC provides a valuable service to children through its helpline; the M-PACT programme, which is available in the north-west through Alcohol Forum, offers a valuable ten-week brief intervention for children; and Barnardos Empower Kids includes the voices of children who have endured domestic abuse.
There is a very welcome Hidden Harm Framework which was launched in 2019 and provides a template for Tusla and the HSE to address these issues. It makes clear that children and young people affected by parental problem substance use must be supported in their own right so that better outcomes are achieved by them and their families. However, it’s not clear what kind of funding is dedicated to this issue. It requires an action plan that should be publicly available, with clear targets, timeframes and funding. Training for staff is available, but again this needs a significant injection of resources and momentum.
A survey of mental health professionals found a significant need and want for more training in this area – essential if adult legacy issues are also to be addressed.
From the Department of Justice there is the important Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based violence which includes children for the first time but literally does not mention the word alcohol despite copious evidence that alcohol is an accelerant of such violence. Meanwhile the same Department is actively seeking to increase alcohol availability through proposals to extend licensing hours and venues despite the clear links between such a move and domestic violence.
Operation Encompass
There is a commitment from the Department of Justice to examine a valuable early intervention programme, Operation Encompass, but as yet there is no sign of its introduction despite numerous entreaties over many years. Operation Encompass would facilitate an early information sharing partnership between Gardai and schools, enabling schools and teachers to offer immediate intervention and support for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. Information would be shared by Gardai with a school’s designated officer prior to the start of the next school day, after Gardai had attended a domestic incident. This would ensure appropriate assistance and care is given, depending on the needs and wishes of the child. It is successfully operating in England and Wales since 2010. It was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2023, where over 23,000 referrals have been made in its first year – an indication of the urgent need for this programme in Ireland.
Office for Alcohol Harm Reduction
Alcohol harm in the home permeates every part of society and likewise its fallout permeates multiple government departments including Justice, Health, Children, Finance and Education, while policymaking to address alcohol harm is currently spread across a number of government departments. What this all adds up to are pockets of outstanding work but massive gaps and a lack of a coherent plan. In the coming General Election, AAI is calling on political parties to address this issue. One proposed solution is to establish an Office for Alcohol Harm Reduction with a brief to develop the policies which are needed to reduce alcohol consumption and to provide the services to address harm caused by alcohol. Such an Office would take the lead in co-ordinating policies across government to avoid the incoherence which is sadly apparent now. Most especially it should put the protection of children at the heart of government thinking and action on alcohol.
