Nearly two thirds of young people who drink alcohol do it at home
24 Nov 2009
Drinkaware launches dedicated website area for parents to help tackle youth drinking
63% of young people who drink alcohol admit they do so most frequently in their own home according to research of 16-17 year olds released by alcohol charity Drinkaware. Almost half of young people (47%*) drink alcohol at least once a week with 60% seeing this as a normal part of socialising and being young. As a result, Drinkaware has launched a brand new section of their website, www.drinkaware.co.uk/parents, targeted specifically at parents, offering advice and tips to encourage broaching the subject with their children.
In an age when young people are regularly bombarded with images of alcohol through the media, it may come as a surprise that more than half (51%) admit they still listen to their parents when it comes to drinking. However, with 41% of young people getting alcohol from their parents and nearly half (49%) having seen their parents drunk, Drinkaware is also encouraging parents to monitor their own behaviour in order to help them show a good example to their children.
www.drinkaware.co.uk/parents offers tips for how parents can broach the issue of alcohol with young people, when it’s a good time to talk to your kids and safety measures that can be put in place if your child is drinking. Details about legislation and government advice can also be found on the site as well as a directory of other useful resources.
Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: “Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children’s attitudes towards alcohol, often without even realising it. It is reassuring in a day-and-age where social media is noted for its influence on young people, that parents can still hold significant sway in guiding their children about alcohol use.
“It can be really difficult for parents to know how and when to talk to their children about alcohol, but with the right support and advice, it can hopefully seem less daunting. It is crucial that we equip parents with the right resources so they can offer valid and practical advice about the negative effects of alcohol misuse.
“Our intention with this new dedicated website area is to be a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all alcohol-awareness information for parents and professionals working with young people, making it easier to address drinking issues with youngsters.”
The new section of the site targeting parents can be viewed at www.drinkaware.co.uk/parents. Drinkaware is also launching a similar section of the site with advice for professionals working with young people, developed through extensive feedback from youth workers and teachers. Medically approved workshop plans and worksheets have been developed which are available alongside research reports from governmental departments and links to additional resources. For more information please visit www.drinkaware.co.uk/professionals.
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For further information, including interviews with spokespeople, please contact:
Laura Bryce at Frank PR – 020 7693 6999/07890329191, drinkaware@frankpr.it , laurabryce@frankpr.it
Siobhan McCann at Drinkaware – 020 7307 7465 or 07827 971744, smccann@drinkaware.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
• All research, unless stated otherwise is from ICM. ICM Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,095 people across Great Britain; 553 interviews with young people aged 16-17 years and 542 with parents of children aged 10-17. Interviews were conducted in-street, using self-completion questionnaires, between 21 February and 13 March 2009. The results have been weighted to the profile of all young people aged 16-17 and parents of children aged 10-17 in Great Britain. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk
• *Taken from a One Poll survey on behalf of Drinkaware. Total sample size was 1,000 16-17 year olds in the UK. Fieldwork was undertaken between 11 and 15 November, 2009. The survey was carried out online.
• Drinkaware provides consumers with information to make informed decisions about the effects of alcohol on their lives and lifestyles. Our public education programmes, grants, expert information, and resources help create awareness and effect positive change. An independent charity established in 2007, Drinkaware works alongside the medical profession, the alcohol industry and government to achieve its goals. For further information visit www.drinkaware.co.uk
• Alongside the Chief Medical Officer’s guidance, Drinkaware advises that ideally all under-18s should enjoy an alcohol free childhood. However, if a child is 15 -17 years old and does decide to drink, they should do so no more than once a week and no more than the daily recommended unit guidelines for men and women.
• Drinkaware advises men to stay within the recommended guidelines of 3-4 units of alcohol per day (equivalent of a pint and a half of lager) and women to stay within 2-3 units per day (equivalent of a 175ml glass of wine).
- Page last updated by
- Root User, 19 Apr 2010.
