Nacoa launches ‘Sam’s Story’ for Children of Alcoholics Week

A New Short Film for COA Week 2026

Nacoa is proud to launch Sam’s Story, a powerful new animated short film created in collaboration with Synima, to mark COA Week 2026.

Sam’s Story captures a quiet moment of fear and uncertainty. Alone in his bedroom, Sam sits curled up, surrounded only by panicked thoughts — the need to stay still and silent, the worry that someone might come upstairs.

Just be really still and quiet. I hope they don’t come up here.

Sam’s Story

Fiction about reality

It reflects the reality we witness so often on the Nacoa Helpline. The emotional weight carried by children who learn to make themselves invisible, stay quiet, and cope in isolation, often without anyone realising what they are going through.

Our film shows that hope is there though, through support of services like Nacoa. One in five children in the UK grows up affected by a parent’s drinking. No child should feel alone.

You are never alone. Nacoa is here.

COA Week 2026: Children of Alcoholics Week

Launched as part of COA Week 2026, Sam’s Story aims to raise awareness, spark understanding, and encourage children, young people, and adults affected by parental drinking to find help.

We are deeply grateful to Synima for helping bring Sam’s Story to life with such care and sensitivity. Synima and Quint Boa are so valued as partners for this cause. With help from their creative kindness, more children are being heard, supported, and understood.