Children and Families
Few social issues impact so comprehensively on society as substance misuse. Alarmingly, children and young people are increasingly misusing alcohol and illegal drugs.
Consequences range from non-attendance and disengaging from education, poor health, committing crime to support their habits and also increased risk of being a victim of violent crime and sexual exploitation. In addition to this, many children and young people who live with substance misusing parents and carers are badly affected. They are often neglected, suffer from domestic violence and are at an increased risk of misusing alcohol and illegal drugs themselves.
Alcohol and substance misuse facts:
According to Department of Health research in 2007,
- 10 per cent of 11-15 year olds had taken drugs in the last month
- 17 per cent had taken illegal drugs in the last year
- 20 per cent had drunk alcohol in the last week.*
- Some police forces estimate that up to 70 per cent of all crime is drug or alcohol related - it is estimated that alcohol is a feature in 62 per cent of incidences of domestic violence, and 40 per cent of child abuse.**
- Young people who are misusing drugs or alcohol have the highest risk of death by suicide.
*NHS (2007) Drug use, smoking and drinking among 
young people in England in 2007.
**DoH (2007) Safe, sensible, social: The next steps in the national alcohol strategy.
The Nelson Trust works closely with children, young people and their parents through counselling and support to help them through their individual situations. We also have an outreach service which provides an on-going assistance to those in need, within their own environment.
