Protecting children: A new working method to support the children of parents with alcohol or drug problems

The vast majority of people with alcohol or other addiction problems never have contact with the healthcare services, which means that children in these families may never be given attention or reached by support interventions. One way to reach more people is to focus efforts on the parent, or other adult family member, who does not have alcohol problems. However, in order to reach this group, it is important to offer initiatives that are perceived as relevant and that most people can identify with.

Many people who have problematic alcohol or drug consumption have moderately pronounced states of dependence that result in less dramatic social problems. The adult relatives they live with are probably less likely to identify their situation with the usual depictions of alcohol or addiction problems and are not attracted by the support that is currently being offered, which is often directed at more severe problems. There may also be concern about what will happen if you make yourself known to the authorities or healthcare services. However, even in these families, children are harmed by their parents’ alcohol or drug use.

The primary aim of the project is that a higher proportion of dependent children in families where there are alcohol or addiction problems can receive support. This will be achieved by offering adult family members, who do not have alcohol or addiction problems themselves, web-based support to help them be more supportive of the child family member and increase the likelihood that they seek external support for the sake of the child.