Neighbours urged to report parental alcohol misuse, Scotland

Scots are being urged to shop their neighbours to police and social workers if they suspect they are neglecting their children because of drug addiction or alcohol abuse. In a major new campaign to be launched next month, the Scottish Government will call on residents to expose any addicts or alcoholics in their area who are failing to care for their children. They want people to use a new dedicated national phoneline, linked to the authorities, who may then visit the affected families and take their children away if they are deemed to be in danger.

Ministers denied that the plan would become a "snooper's charter", insisting that, such is the scale of the crisis affecting vulnerable families, drastic measures are now necessary. The latest figures show that there are as many as 60,000 Scottish children who currently live with drug abusers. A further 100,000 are believed to be living with parents with an alcohol problem.

Politicians from all parties have warned they are being inundated with information about shocking cases of babies and children being left unwashed and unfed by parents who care only about their next fix or another drink. In a bid to emphasise the scale of the problem, ministers want to brand the new phoneline "the fourth emergency number", alongside police, fire and ambulance services.  Scotland on Sunday