Drugs & Alcohol
Hidden Harm
In the first report of it's kind, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has estimated that the lives of between 250,000 and 350,000 children are affected by the drug misuse of their parents. Hidden Harm states that children face both physical and psychological harm, often have to fend for themselves and may have to look after both their siblings and, in some cases, their parents.
The main findings from the report:
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between 250,000 and 350,000 children have at least one parent with a serious drug problem
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having a parent with serious drug problems causes huge harm to children of all ages
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more needs to be done to help these children and their parents
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taking practical steps can make a real difference to the lives of these vulnerable children - to protect and nurture them and by helping their parents deal with their drug problem
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effective, joined-up working between agencies is essential
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the number of affected children is only likely to decrease when the number of problem drug users decreases
The report gives 48 detailed recommendations of how the problem can be tackled and how its effects can be ameliorated. The areas covered range from maternity and post-natal care, through education and social work, to the police, the court service and prisons.
Visit the drugs.gov.uk website to download "Hidden Harm"
Last update: 05/06/03