News
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- Scotland publishes first UK guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
- The Alcohol Framework 2018 Preventing Harm
- Scotlands new drug and alcohol strategy launched
- AFS welcome new alcohol strategy
- Recent reporting on alcohol sales data
- Cross-Party Group Improving Scotland's health: 2021 and beyond October 2018
- Diageo is failing to provide latest guidelines on their products
- Drinks companies keeping consumers in dark about risky drinking
- Reducing alcohol consumption can address health inequalities
- Alcohol-specific deaths remain at very high levels
- Oh Lila goes digital
- Global first alcohol policy set to save hundreds of Scots' lives
- AFS welcomes minimum unit pricing for alcohol
- Walker's crisp ad exposes children to alcohol marketing
- Truer picture of alcohol harm revealed
- Focus on link between alcohol and obesity
- Alcohol causes 3,700 deaths in Scotland every year
- Last Christmas for heavily discounted alcohol
- Scotland's licensing system needs clearer direction
- Minimum pricing blog
- Minimum pricing gets green light
- Reflections on GAPC 2017
- Alcohol brands and young people
- Time for honest conversations about alcohol
- Q&A on alcohol marketing
- UK children anxious about parents' drinking
- Quarter of Scots drink above guidelines
- Alcohol producers failing to inform public
- Concern over alcohol-related deaths
- We need to make it easier for people to drink less
- Worrying rise in alcohol-related deaths
- Minimum pricing will save lives
- Pocket money prices for alcohol continue
- Scotland's alcohol problem laid bare
- Cheap alcohol is costing Scotland dear
- One drink a day can increase breast cancer risk
- Poverty linked to increased harm from alcohol
- What next for reducing alcohol harm in Scotland?
- Scotland must do more to turn tide of alcohol harm
- Concern as funding for alcohol services cut
- Budget: No change in alcohol duty
- Scottish Government urged to curb alcohol marketing
- Consumers have the right to know health risks
- Chancellor urged to tackle cheap, strong cider in Budget
- Online help for families affected by alcohol
- Alcohol-free childhood is healthiest option
- SWA granted leave to appeal minimum pricing
- Drink drive warning
- Scottish Greens call for action on alcohol marketing
- Scottish Government receives European alcohol award
- SWA will appeal to UK Supreme Court
- Half of alcohol being sold under 50p per unit
- SWA urged to respect minimum pricing decision
- Alcohol and mental health are closely linked
- Minimum pricing can be implemented in Scotland
- Alcohol sold at pocket money prices
- Scotland has so much to gain from reducing how much we drink
- AFS welcomes revised alcohol consumption guidelines
- Emergency services face shocking levels of alcohol abuse
- Every child has the right to grow up safe from alcohol harm
- Public health must prevail over big business
- New toolkit to help children affected by family alcohol problems
- Price check reveals cheap cost of strong alcohol
- Sales increase underlines need for minimum pricing
- Time to kick alcohol out of sport
- Alcohol linked with stomach cancer
- AFS calls for compulsory health warnings on alcoholic drinks
- Are supermarkets 'responsible retailers' when it comes to alcohol?
- Scottish health charities call for excise duty rise to tackle cheap alcohol
- Alcohol campaigners unite to call for stronger protection from alcohol advertising to children
- New resource for people concerned about alcohol in their community
- Minimum pricing decision delayed until summer
- No completely 'safe' level of drinking
- New alcohol guidelines published
- Minimum pricing - European court ruling
- Alcohol fuels ambulance assaults
- 82% of Scots agree drink driving is unacceptable
- Scotland's alcohol strategy - what next?
- Scotland leads way in evidence-based alcohol policy
- New report reveals impact of alcohol on emergency services
- Alcohol: a global concern
Online help for families affected by alcohol
Alcohol Focus Scotland has developed a website to help people explore how their drinking is affecting their family and access help if required.
My Family & Alcohol includes animations, videos and online self-assessment tools to help people think about how their drinking might be affecting family relationships and wellbeing.
One in four adults in Scotland drink at potentially harmful levels and three quarters of all alcohol sold is now drunk at home. This means children, partners and other family members are more exposed to drinking and its consequences.
Some of those involved in developing the website have helped create short films to share their personal experience of how alcohol has affected their family. One young mum said: “I’ve seen so much alcohol abuse that I could easily have become alcohol dependent myself, but having my children changed me and I was more aware of my responsibilities. We need something to break the cycle and get people thinking about how alcohol can affect those around them."
People can be reluctant to access help because of stigma and fear of being judged. To help break down barriers and challenge perceptions, the website features short films of professionals including a GP, health visitor and social worker talking about the various support options that are available. A directory of services provides families with links to a wide range of services and support across Scotland.
The Minister for Childcare and Early Years, Mark McDonald MSP, introduced the My Family & Alcohol resource at an event in the Scottish Parliament.
Alison Douglas, Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland said:
“With more of us drinking at home, it's important that we consider how this might impact on our family. Half of us report being harmed by someone else’s drinking, while one in three Scots report having a heavy drinker in their lives. Sadly, alcohol misuse is a common factor in relationship problems and in families splitting up. Our new website provides information which can help people make informed choices about their drinking and highlights how getting help to change unhealthy drinking habits can benefit the whole family.”
ParentLine Scotland, one of the services showcased on the website, told us in the last year they have taken almost 250 calls from parents and grandparents worried about alcohol use in the family.
Bryan Evans, National Services - Assistant Director, Children 1st said:
“Children 1st know how problematic drinking can harm children and families. Many of our staff in local services, and ParentLine, our National Support service, spend time supporting adults to keep children’s needs at the centre of parents and carers thinking. We are glad to partner with Alcohol Focus Scotland’s ‘My Family and Alcohol’ initiative in raising awareness and addressing this important issue.”