Children & Alcohol

A new survey has concluded that teenagers are less likely to binge drink if they are first introduced to small amounts of alcohol in the company of their parents. 10,000 questionnaires were distributed to 15 and 16 year old children in the North-West of England, and the responses to these form the basis of the results. The findings from the survey are interesting given that Alcohol Concern have recently called for parents who give alcohol to under-15s to be prosecuted.

A useful research report entitled Underage 'Risky' Drinking, which looks at this topic in some depth, is available from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website. You can also look at how the government is tackling the issue via the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy For England, while a summary of what's legal where children and alcohol are concerned is available from the BBC.