Being under the influence of alcohol and other drugs can have an impact on a parent’s ability to keep their children safe and well, raising concerns about safeguarding. This includes being hungover. Positive role modelling and engagement in healthy behaviours by parents increases the probability that their children will also adopt these behaviours as they grow up, increasing the likelihood of positive physical and mental health outcomes for their whole lives.

In the most problematic cases, parental drug and alcohol use are factors related to adverse childhood experiences.

Research suggests that having adverse childhood experience causes functional and structural changes in children’s developing brains which can seriously affect their physical and mental health during their whole life course. Maternal alcohol consumption or drug use during pregnancy can also interfere with healthy cognitive and physical development in unborn babies.

Supporting families who are affected by drug and alcohol use can include:

• Talking to them in a non-judgemental way about the risks they are taking and the impact this may have on their children
• Making information about support for drug or alcohol problems available in positive and non-judgemental ways
• Promoting local ROADS services through posters, leaflets and online information.
• National services such as telephone helplines and have these on notice boards in areas parents use or on leaflets they can help themselves to.