The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has published alcohol guidance for parents, children and young people. The guidance has received significant media attention, largely as it recommends that children do not touch alcohol until at least 15 years old, and that even then it should be in an environment supervised by a parent or guardian. Consultation on the proposals received overall support earlier this year.
The guidance makes 5 key recommendations:
- children should have an alcohol-free childhood - if children drink alcohol, it shouldn't be before they are 15 years old
- if young people aged 15 to 17 years old drink alcohol, it should always be with the guidance of a parent or carer or in a supervised environment
- parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and not drinking is the healthiest option
- if children aged 15 to 17 drink alcohol they should do so infrequently and on no more than one day a week - they should never drink more than the adult daily limits recommended by the NHS
- the importance of parental influence on children's alcohol use should be communicated to parents, carers and professionals
- support services should be made available for children and young people who have alcohol-related problems and their parents
Professor Sir Liam Donaldson said: "The science is clear. Drinking particularly at a young age, a lack of parental supervision, exposing children to drink-fuelled events and failing to engage with them as they grow up are the root causes from which our country’s serious alcohol problem has developed."
It was also announced this week Sir Donaldson was retiring, but would continue to push for a minimum price on alcohol. The CMO has won praise for his work on a number of public health issues including championing the smoking ban.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is currently undertaking consultation on new drug and alcohol guidance for schools which seeks to implement some of the CMOs recommendations. The guidance includes extensive information relating to role of schools in providing education on drugs and alcohol; important as the delivery of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) may become compulsory for schools in 2011.
Comments