How Educators Can Identify And Help Children Of Alcohol Or Other Drug Abusing Parents

Alcoholism or drug dependency affects all members of a family, particularly children. A significant number of students are adversely affected in the classroom by a parent's alcohol or other drug abuse. In virtually every classroom regardless of socioeconomic level, geographic region, or academic level, a significant minority of students will at some time have lived with an alcohol/drug abusing parent.

Living with a parent who abuses alcohol or other drugs can have severe effects on every aspect of the child's life, including school performance. Some of the following indicators may (but not necessarily) mean that the child is living with a parent's alcohol/drug abuse problem:

• Signs of physical or sexual abuse
• Overall untidy appearance
• Falling asleep, in class
• Grade swings or poor grades
• Lack of friends, social disengagement (shy and withdrawn)
• Extreme fear about situations involving contact with parents
• Lack of parental interest in the child's report card or academic status
• Learning difficulties
• Consistent concern about getting home promptly
• Excessive demand for attention to compensate for lack of attention at home
• Unexplained absences from school and morning tardiness
• Sudden behaviour changes (quiet and moody or acting out)
• Child remarks about the drinking at home
• You see one of the parent's intoxicated
• Class mates ridicule the parent's drinking
• Parental authoritariaism and unrealistic expectations
• Hyperactivity or difficulty concentrating
• Compulsive behaviours (over eating, over achieving, smoking, chemical dependence)
• Constant health problems (headaches, stomachaches)

• Low self-esteem
• Anxiety
• Easily embarrassed
• Suppressed anger
• Perceive problems as beyond their control
• Poor coping skills
• Prone to depression
• Unreasonably fearful
• Sad and unhappy
• Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine

• Develop and maintain a list of appropriate referrals of helping professionals in your community. Knowing which agencies have good resources will make it easier to respond promptly to requests for help.
• Maintain a small library of current books, pamphlets, and reprints of articles on alcohol/drug related problems that have been written for children. Such information can be obtained from your local Drug Dependency Services' office.
• Feel comfortable when a child asks you for help, being embarrassed or uncomfortable may increase their sense of hopelessness.
• Follow through after a child asks for help by assisting them to contact a local support group where others with similar problems will understand; helping a child identify all sympathetic, significant adults in their life who might be helpful; or referring a child to an appropriate professional, with parental consent.
• Try not to criticize a child's parents or be overly sympathetic. A child may gain the greatest benefit just from having an understanding adult friend who can tell them where help can be found.
• Share a child's problems with only those who have to know. This is important for building trust and for keeping a child from being labelled by peers or other adults.
• Be sensitive to possible cultural differences. If a child is from a different culture, it may be useful to explore the differences. Family structure, values, customs and beliefs can influence how you help a child.
• If you make any plans with a child - keep them. Stability and consistency are necessary in relationships if a child is to develop trust.
• Try not to counsel a child. It is better to seek parental consent for referral to an appropriate helping professional, or to assist a child in contacting a local Alateen group.

For additional information, please contact one of the following Addictions Services Offices.