90,000 children at risk in Scotland because of parental drinking, charity claims

By CHRISTINE LAVELLE
Published on 13/08/2012 01:51

One in ten children in Scotland is at risk because of parental drinking, according to a charity.

Children 1st said new figures from the Scottish Government showed that up to 93,000 youngsters are adversely affected by their parents’ alcohol misuse.

The figures, collated from analysis of Scottish Health Surveys, revealed that more children than ever are potentially at risk of emotional, physical and verbal abuse due to their parents’ “problematic use” of alcohol, the charity said.

It is urging people to take more responsibility to protect children and reduce the negative effects alcohol can have on them. Anne Houston, chief executive of Children 1st, said: “The fact it’s estimated up to 93,000 children in Scotland – one in ten of all children – may be bearing the brunt of our nation’s attitude to alcohol is shocking and should give us all cause for 
concern.

“From our work with children to help them recover from the trauma of violence fuelled by alcohol misuse, we know that many children feel those negative effects for years, with some suffering from depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.

“Too many children are missing out on their childhoods because of their parents’ drinking and we all have a responsibility to stop this from happening.”

Marco Biagi, SNP MSP for 
Edinburgh Central and a member of the education and sport committee, said: “These figures reveal the scale of the problem of our nation’s attitude to 
alcohol.”