Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation and Nacoa UK have announced a new partnership to raise awareness and understanding of alcohol problems and their impact on families in schools. The collaboration will see IFCF provide resources and support for Nacoa, the national charity for those affected by a parent’s drinking or addiction, to deliver over one hundred presentations and training sessions, doubling Nacoa’s current capacity. This initiative marks the largest outreach project of its kind in UK history.
According to statistics, one in five children in the UK are affected by a parent’s drinking, and over 700,000 children live with an alcohol-dependent parent. Additionally, only 18% of parents with addiction issues are in touch with treatment. Children of alcohol-dependent parents are more likely to experience mental health problems, witness violence, struggle in school, and develop addiction problems themselves. However, the majority of these young people suffer in silence, highlighting the need for active support in schools to provide a “protective factor” and promote resilience in these vulnerable children.
Nacoa is the NHS-recommended service for children affected by parental alcohol problems and runs a schools campaign to raise awareness and provide training. Despite the prevalence of this issue, it is not a mandatory topic in classrooms in England and Wales. Nacoa’s schools programme has historically relied on the dedication of individual volunteers.
By joining forces with Iceland and matching their funding, Nacoa aims to accelerate its existing programme, leaving a legacy through updated materials and a successful example for future projects. This partnership will make a significant difference in the lives of the children Nacoa was established to support.
The Nacoa schools campaign boost is set to begin in Spring 2024.
Hilary Henriques MBE, Nacoa’s Chief Executive, stated, “The power in this project is the partnership. When Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation approached us with the idea to collaborate, we quickly came to the same conclusion: more needs to be done to support children of alcoholics in schools. This is not about targeting specific young people, but rather promoting healthy conversations among all students and teachers about the impacts of alcohol on individuals and families. This creates a virtuous cycle that breaks down stigma and helps those affected feel seen and supported.”
Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods and Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation Trustee, added, “The wellbeing of children and families has always been a priority for Iceland, especially during times of financial strain or uncertainty. The work that Nacoa is doing is vital, providing children with the education and resources they need to feel supported and make healthy choices for themselves. This historic partnership will enable Nacoa to reach more children than ever before in schools across the UK and start life-changing conversations, laying the groundwork to help prevent future mental health problems and alcohol addiction.”
For media inquiries, please contact Dr. Piers Henriques, Director of Communications and Marketing at Nacoa UK, at communications@nacoa.org.uk.
Notes to Editors:
– An estimated 2.6 million children in the UK are living with a parent who drinks too much, and problems often persist into adulthood.
– Children living with parental alcoholism are six times more likely to witness domestic violence, five times more likely to develop an eating disorder, and three times more likely to consider suicide.
– Nacoa helpline analysis shows that over 20 years, 55% of children of alcohol-dependent parents have experienced serious mental distress, including anxiety, stress, and depression. 26% have also experienced abuse, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and neglect.
– Over half of callers have not told anyone else about their situation.
– According to ONS figures, alcohol-specific deaths have increased by 38% since 2019, with female alcohol deaths increasing by 42%.
About Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF):
IFCF has raised £34 million to date for our charity partners, with a primary focus on projects within four core areas: Dementia, Environment, Wellbeing, and Children. More information can be found on our website, www.ifcf.org.uk.
Examples of our partnerships include £10 million for the new groundbreaking UK Dementia Research Institute opening in London in 2024, over £5 million for Alzheimer’s Research UK, £1.5 million for Alzheimer’s Society, and over £1 million for The National Brain Appeal to help create the world’s first Rare Dementia Support Centre.
We have also co-developed resources with The UK Sepsis Trust to raise vital awareness of sepsis symptoms, now used by companies and schools throughout the UK. Additionally, we have donated £1 million to Prostate Cancer UK and worked with them to promote their online 30-second risk checker to the public. Over £6 million has also been donated to children’s charities, with our recent partnership with Action for Children providing urgent support to children in challenging circumstances.
IFCF inspired a million hours of
