Concerns raised about more than 7,300 children in the West Midlands last year due to 'parents substance misuse', charity reveals

Data released by the NSPCC shows that 7,330 children in the region were identified as having a parent who misused alcohol between April 2024 and March 2025 while subject to a Child in Need assessment in England - making it fifth place in the national figures. Nationally, the total figure stood at 73,250.

Over the same period, the NSPCC Helpline received 9,192 contacts from across the UK — an average of 25 a day — from people worried about a parent or carer’s drug or alcohol use. Callers reported hearing violent arguments and furniture being thrown, seeing parents inebriated or collapsed, and concerns about children appearing dirty and neglected.

Regular drug and alcohol misuse by parents or carers can create chaotic home environments where children’s needs are not properly recognised or met, increasing the risk of harm. While it does not always result in abuse or neglect, it can seriously affect a child’s emotional wellbeing.

Substance misuse can impact children at every stage of development — from pregnancy, where it raises the risk of birth defects, premature birth and withdrawal symptoms, to later childhood, when it can contribute to behavioural and emotional problems, poor school attendance, low attainment, neglect, abuse and exposure to criminal activity.

Ashley* opened up to her NSPCC practitioner about her mum’s drinking and the impact it had on her and family, when she was 15. She said: “My mum used to drink every day as far back as I can remember. Her drinking meant that I had to be the mum to my siblings and I didn’t really have a life. I was responsible for making sure my siblings all got fed, were dressed and bathed and in school. I cooked and cleaned around the house too.     

 “I didn’t feel like I was a child, I felt like I was growing up too quickly. I didn’t speak to anyone about what was going on at home because I didn’t realise it was wrong. That was just my life, and I thought it was normal.”

The NSPCC’s Helpline also hears from adults who are concerned about children’s wellbeing as a result of an addict in their life.

One concerned neighbour told the Helpline: “I’m calling as I’m worried about three young children in our building. Both of the parents are heavy drinkers; they seem to be drunk all the time, even during the day: one time I witnessed the mother completely out of it, lying in the front garden, whilst her kids were wandering around the street in their underwear. I’m really worried about the environment these kids are living in.”

According to the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (Nacoa), one in five children is affected by a parent’s drinking.

The NSPCC has released the figures to mark Nacoa UK’s Children of Alcoholics Week (8–14 February), urging children in the West Midlands and beyond who are affected by substance misuse at home to seek help. The charity also stressed that support is available for parents concerned about the impact of their own — or another adult’s — substance use on a child.

Kam Thandi, NSPCC Helpline Director, said: “Most parents and carers who drink alcohol do so in moderation, which doesn’t present an increased risk of harm to their children. However, when they take it in large quantities over a long period of time it can lead to abuse and neglect with serious consequences for their future.

“We want children to know they are not alone and there is help and support available to them. Our Childline service is here to listen to any child, and our NSPCC Helpline is there to provide advice and support to adults who are concerned about parental substance misuse.” 

Hilary Henriques MBE, Chief Executive of Nacoa, added: “Every child deserves to live a creative and meaningful life. Sadly, when alcohol is the family secret, children are more likely to experience difficult situations with family violence, neglect, and other problems. Most parents don’t choose this for their children; there are underlying problems they do not know how to deal with.

“These children need to know that this is not their fault, they did not cause it, and they cannot control it and Nacoa UK will be here for them for as long as they wish.

“Our work is about planning for a more positive future. Working together with the NSPCC allows us to provide opportunities for countless children to see that the world can be different from the one they know that they can break the cycle of addiction and go on to live happy and fulfilled lives.”

Childline offers free, confidential support for young people 24 hours a day on 0800 1111. Nacoa UK also runs a helpline for anyone affected by a parent’s drinking, including children, adults and professionals, available on 0800 358 3456 or via  helpline@nacoa.org.uk