Protecting Children

Ann HopeSchool of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College annhope@eircom.net

Children’s Rights Alliance, Panel Discussion at AGM, 13 May 2008

Young People’s alcohol use influenced by Normal maturational changes

Biological and cognitive Psychological changes

Independence and risk taking Social and cultural changes

Family, peers, social systems Environmental factors

Availability and appeal of alcohol

Harm from others

When parents get drunk, they hit out at their children instead

of themselves

Ida, age 7

Grown-ups like drinking because then they don’t think the world is as it is

Miki, age 10

When the grown-ups drink, they get angry quicker than usual.

And then it’s the children who suffer

Jacob, age 8

If there wasn’t any beer or wine, then

there wouldn’t be too many children who

were unhappy

Emil, age 10They should say it on the news, that things don’t get any

better because you drink

Dorthea, age 8

Policy analysis

Government Alcohol ‘Talk’ :8 Committees & 13 Reports

1990 Working Group on alcohol policy 1996 Oireachtas Committee on Licensing

1 Report

2000 Commission on Liquor Licensing 4 reports (2001-2003)

2002 Strategic Task Force on Alcohol 2 reports 2002, 2004

Oireachtas Committees on Health & Arts, Sports etc Reports 2004,2006, 2007

2005 Sustaining Progress Report 2006

2007 Advisory Group on Alcohol Report 2008

Government – policy choices

1. No tax increase (1994- 2001) - Cheaper alcohol

2. Increased opening hrs, free movement of licences (2000)

- Greater availability

3. Proposed law to reduce exposure of children to alcohol marketing- Approved legislation (2003) but shelved in (2005)

4. Increased tax on alcohol (2002/3)

- Decreased alcohol consumption

5. Abolished Groceries Order (2006)

- Allowed below cost selling of alcohol

6. Introduced Mandatory Alcohol Testing (2006) - Reduced road deaths

Current Government policy

Price Availability Marketing Drinking Driving

Drinking Environment

Community mobilisation

Treatment –early intervention

Education

Cheaper alcohol More outlets, longer hrs Self-regulation Mandatory alcohol

testing

Little enforcement

One project Still waiting for SBI

Over-reliant

How and Why?

We have not taken ownership of our problem Government policy choices have made the

situation worse Government ignored the evidence in favour of

vested interests Health and social services have different

priorities, children can lose out Little capacity within communities to tackle

alcohol problems

WHO European Charter on Alcohol - 1995

“All children and adolescents have the

right to grow up in an environment

protected from the negative

consequences of alcohol consumption

and, to the extent possible, from the

promotion of alcoholic beverages”Ethical principle No 3; Adopted by 51 European Ministers of Health

Changes necessary

Leadership – political, health and community Public support - it is not safe for children to drink Joined up thinking and action across government

We know what works (STFA) Implementation plan –targets, timelines Plan linked to other relevant issues Management structure

Health/social services need to screen for alcohol problems, prioritise and plan for children at risk

Local authorities can do much more to help communities