children

Untold damage: children's accounts of living with harmful parental drinking

Report that highlights the findings of a collaborative research study undertaken by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and the NSPCC's ChildLine in Scotland service to explore children and young people's experiences of harmful parental drinking and the concerns they express about the impact this is having on their lives.

Stepping up: the future for young runaways

Report that builds on existing knowledge about levels of running away. The estimated 100,000 children who run away each year in the UK are, to varying degrees, in need of support and services. Although there is no single profile for a child who runs way, there are common services and approaches that can provide support before, during and after a running away incident. Stepping Up reviews these services and how far the current policy provisions ensure that every child who runs away is adequately safeguarded.

National Children's Bureau Early Childhood Unit

This website has been developed by the Early Childhood Unit (ECU) at the National Children's Bureau in England. The Early Childhood Unit (ECU) aims to ensure that all who work with young children and their families can access the best information and support to improve their policies and practice. ECU encourages discussion and debate about the needs of young children and develops practical projects to support practitioners.

Young people, and gun and knife crime: a review of the evidence

This is the outcome of an extensive review of evidence about the effectiveness of interventions designed to tackle children and young people's involvement in gun and knife crime. It discusses predicting who is most likely to be involved in violent crime, the impact of where children and young people live on their involvement, how young people's relationships, perceptions and choices affect involvement, anti-gun and anti-knife interventions, and youth offending and youth violence research, ending with conclusions.

Parental problem drinking and its impact on children

This review of the available research will address the definition and extent of parental problem drinking; its impact across important dimensions of children’s lives; the impact on children as they become adults; and some messages for practice, including a suggested service specification. The research focus is mainly on UK studies published in the last two decades, supplemented by research from other countries, especially the USA, Australia and Europe.

The effect of parental substance abuse on young people

An exploration of the experiences of young people (15-27 years) affected by parental drug and/or alcohol misuse. This report provides an in-depth account of the impact of parental substance misuse on parenting, on roles within the family, and on relationships. It identifies differences in the effects of drug and alcohol misuse and the relevance of gender and socio-economic status.

Women and cocaine (Radio 4 series: Woman's Hour)

This episode of Radio 4's Woman's Hour series looks at why drug addiction is on the increase. The number of women taking drugs has always lagged behind the number of men, but research shows that the ratio of girls to boys aged just 11 who've admitted using drugs is roughly the same. It's also claimed that the number of children placed on the child protection register because their parents have a drugs problem now exceeds those children listed because their parents drink.

What makes parenting programmes work in disadvantaged areas?

There is increasing enthusiasm, both in government and in the community, for improving child outcomes through parenting programmes. This drive encompasses the ‘Surestart’ and ‘Respect’ agendas, and emphasises the importance of children’s centres and school-based support. However, many programmes have failed to work when rigorously tested. This study examines factors which influence programme effectiveness in poor, ethnically diverse areas.