#COAWeek2018

Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

| February 11, 2018

Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone.

Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son or daughter?

We are often quick to dismiss problem drinkers as a blight on society, but in doing so overlook the profound impact that alcoholism can have on their children. This is why Nacoa will once again lead International Children of Alcoholics Week (11 – 17 February 2018) in the UK, the 10th annual awareness campaign aiming to cast a light on the 1 in 5 children across the UK who are struggling with the effects of a parent’s drinking.

Following the landmark achievement in 2017 of publishing the word’s first Manifesto for Children of Alcoholics, authored by Liam Byrne MP’s APPG on Children of Alcoholics, a groundswell of prominent voices have come out in support of charities and campaigners dedicated to helping these vulnerable young people. After a year of emotional Westminster debates, front page coverage on helpline counsellors reading bed-time stories to lonely COAs, and a sustained media campaign to communicate the struggles faced by children affected by parental alcohol problems, January 2018 saw Government have state that they want to put in place a breakthrough strategy to support the needs of COAs in the UK.

COA Week will see the publication of the POSTNote on parental alcohol misuse (PAM), focusing on the prevalence of the issue across the UK, the long-term effects this has on children, and the benefit of effective interventions for this vulnerable group.

It has been a seismic year for Nacoa and children affected by parental alcohol problems, with public conversations and press coverage of this taboo subject higher up the agenda than ever before. In 2018, Nacoa are reporting record numbers of calls and emails to the their helpline as COAs realise that they are not alone.

As we enter the 10th year of COA week, Nacoa invite media agencies, businesses, charities and the general public to get involved so we can continue to reach the 2.6 million children in the UK living with a parent who drinks too much.

Keep checking back to this page as the feed will be updated throughout the week with all the big news and activities for #COAWeek2018.

This is the hardest and most personal blog I have written. In all honesty I don’t think I would have had the courage to speak out about this if it weren’t for seeing MPs like @JonAshworth speaking out about this. Considering it is #COAweek2018 I felt this was necessary. @NacoaUK https://t.co/rARR6ouRUk

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#COAWeek2018

Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem ...

#COAWeek2018

Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem ...

  • About Nacoa

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • About Nacoa

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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  • Amy Dickson

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  • Carolyn Jones

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  • Ceri Walker

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  • Dr Anne-Marie Barron

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  • Dr Piers Henriques

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  • Hilary Henriques MBE

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  • Jane Elson

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  • Research & resources

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  • Some Punjabi and Sikh parents drink too much…

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Personal experiences

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Books, videos and media

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • FAQs

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Help and advice

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Information

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Personal experiences

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • FAQs

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Help and advice

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Information

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Personal experiences

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

  • Books, videos and media

    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

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    Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone. Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son …

Children of Alcoholics Week 2018 – because no child affected by their parent’s problem drinking should ever feel alone.

Shame. Fear. Guilt. Cold nausea. All words that might readily come to mind when you think of alcohol dependency. What if those words weren’t coming from the drinker, but instead from their 8 year old son or daughter?

We are often quick to dismiss problem drinkers as a blight on society, but in doing so overlook the profound impact that alcoholism can have on their children. This is why Nacoa will once again lead International Children of Alcoholics Week (11 – 17 February 2018) in the UK, the 10th annual awareness campaign aiming to cast a light on the 1 in 5 children across the UK who are struggling with the effects of a parent’s drinking.

Following the landmark achievement in 2017 of publishing the word’s first Manifesto for Children of Alcoholics, authored by Liam Byrne MP’s APPG on Children of Alcoholics, a groundswell of prominent voices have come out in support of charities and campaigners dedicated to helping these vulnerable young people. After a year of emotional Westminster debates, front page coverage on helpline counsellors reading bed-time stories to lonely COAs, and a sustained media campaign to communicate the struggles faced by children affected by parental alcohol problems, January 2018 saw Government have state that they want to put in place a breakthrough strategy to support the needs of COAs in the UK.

COA Week will see the publication of the POSTNote on parental alcohol misuse (PAM), focusing on the prevalence of the issue across the UK, the long-term effects this has on children, and the benefit of effective interventions for this vulnerable group.

It has been a seismic year for Nacoa and children affected by parental alcohol problems, with public conversations and press coverage of this taboo subject higher up the agenda than ever before. In 2018, Nacoa are reporting record numbers of calls and emails to the their helpline as COAs realise that they are not alone.

As we enter the 10th year of COA week, Nacoa invite media agencies, businesses, charities and the general public to get involved so we can continue to reach the 2.6 million children in the UK living with a parent who drinks too much.

Keep checking back to this page as the feed will be updated throughout the week with all the big news and activities for #COAWeek2018.

This is the hardest and most personal blog I have written. In all honesty I don’t think I would have had the courage to speak out about this if it weren’t for seeing MPs like @JonAshworth speaking out about this. Considering it is #COAweek2018 I felt this was necessary. @NacoaUK https://t.co/rARR6ouRUk

Recent Donations

You are not alone

Remember the Six "C"s

I didn’t cause it
I can’t control it
I can’t cure it
I can take care of myself
I can communicate my feelings
I can make healthy choices

Resources you may like

Parental Substance Use: Supporting School Aged Children

By Hannah Todman and Sarah Galvani (A BASW Practice Guide)
Twinkle, Twinkle Arti

By Danielle Slade
The 1 in 5 Documentary: A film about the forgotten children of alcoholics

By John Taylor
5-Step Self-Help Handbook for Family Members

By AFINet
Nacoa lunchtime lives

By Josh Connolly and special guests
Find Your Oasis – A collection of writing from those affected

By Various

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