Sheffield experts warn 200,000 kids live with adults dependent on alcohol
The findings are being called 'deeply worrying'
Experts in Sheffield are warning 200,000 children across England are living with adults who depend on alcohol.
Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health commissioned the University of Sheffield to estimate the number of children living with adults who are seriously dependent on alcohol.
The data also suggests there are 600,000 dependent drinkers who would benefit from treatment, yet only just over 100,000 are currently receiving help.
“We estimate around 20 per cent of the adults with alcohol dependence have severe dependence – we’re talking 3 or 4 bottles of spirits a week at least,” says Dr Robert Pryce from the University of Sheffield.
“And also some physical symptoms such as shaking and needing a drink the first thing in the morning.
“It is quite surprising that they do drink so much, especially with children in the household. We do know that a lot of these adults want to reduce their consumption, and things like specialist treatment can really help them."
Overall, the research found there are around 17,760 dependent drinkers in South Yorkshire.
Nationally, around 1.5 million adults in England and Wales are thought to have some form of alcohol dependence, and there are 2.5 million children living with an adult drinking at what is considered "risky'' levels.
But only one in six of the adults who are dependent on alcohol are actually receiving specialist treatment to help reduce their consumption.
Dr Pryce says it can impact on the children they live with: “There are short term effects like poor school performance and behaviour.
“And in the longer term, we know that living with an adult with alcohol dependence leads to a higher probability of having problems with alcohol later in life themselves, as well as mental health problems. So it is really important to break that chain.”
The Alcohol Health Alliance UK has called the findings ‘deeply worrying’.
Liver specialist Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alliance, said: We welcome the Government's recognition that cheap alcohol is damaging some of the most vulnerable groups in society.
"The revelation that 200,000 children in England are living with adults in need of specialist help is deeply worrying. We need to make sure people get the support they need once they have a problem with alcohol, for their own sakes and for the sake of their children.
*For the greatest impact, the measures announced today should be combined with measures like minimum unit pricing of alcohol."*
"But people don't set out to become dependent drinkers and we need to stop more people from reaching that stage.
*Studies have shown that setting a minimum price for alcohol would reduce unemployment and bring substantial numbers of unemployed drinkers back into the workforce.''*