New stats show increase in children misusing alcohol in Essex
Addiction experts are warning the problem may get even worse during lockdown
The number of children in need due to alcohol and drug misuse - either by parents or by children themselves - increased in Essex last year.
The Department for Education has released new statistics which show that across the county, 160 episodes of alcohol misuse by children were identified by social workers following an assessment of households in 2020.
That's an 11% rise on the 146 recorded in 2018.
Drug misuse amongst children has reportedly fallen - from 315 to 294 reports.
Meanwhile, when it comes to parents, the County had the same number of reports of parents abusing drink or drugs in 2020 compared to 2018: 918 and 995 respectively.
Drug and alcohol addiction experts the UK Addiction Treatment Group (UKAT) - who analysed the report - warns these numbers are unfortunately just the ‘tip of the iceberg’.
They've said that with a third national lockdown now in force across England, and off the back of a difficult 2020 for many, the number of children in need across West Sussex, and the rest of the UK, could well rise exponentially this year.
Nuno Albuquerque, the group treatment lead at UKAT, said:
“This report is truly saddening as it paints such a graphic and telling picture of how some families are living.
“We must remember that these aren’t just numbers; they’re parents and children themselves who are misusing drugs, alcohol or even both behind closed doors, resulting in those children requiring further help.
“Our immediate concern now is how much worse their situations may have become since the COVID-19 crisis.
"2020 was a difficult year for everyone but if households had a pre-existing problem with drugs and alcohol then that abuse could well have worsened, placing more children in need of more help.”
The UK Addiction Treatment Group has also seen a stark rise in the number of people using their 24/7 online chat tool, people who are struggling with life at home, who are turning to alcohol and drug misuse, and reaching out for help.
The group runs a number of rehabilitation and treatment centres around the UK, including the Recovery Lighthouse centre in Worthing.
Nuno Albuquerque added:
“We’re speaking with more people than ever about their struggle with drugs and alcohol and how the pressures from the current crisis is affecting their relationship with these substances.
"Many people are using them as coping methods and for some, this will progress into dependency and addiction and will remain with them long after the lockdown measures are lifted.
“We urge everyone to ask for help if they feel that they need it. Not everything has stopped during the crisis; support services are still there to support you.
"We all need to come together, be kind and to help those most vulnerable in our communities.”
Information on how children can help parents struggling with drug or alcohol abuse can be found on the UKAT website.