Children and Alcohol

The figures, published at the end of last year also show one in six 11 -year-old girls has a weekly drink, suggesting alcohol use is becoming endemic among the very young - while parents and politicians focus on the dangers of other drugs. 'The first time we saw the results, it was hair-raising,' said Dr David Regis of the Schools Health Education Unit, which surveyed 13,000 children across Britain. 'When we explained the figures to parents in our survey schools, they were similarly shocked. They didn't think it was their children.'

Further analysis showed significant numbers of children being given alcohol regularly at home. 'They cited engagement parties or wedding anniversaries as occasions when they were introduced to alcohol,' said Regis. 'Then it becomes routine. Every time Mum and Dad have a glass of wine on Saturday night, they can be giving one to their children. Or if Dad sits down with a beer, it's offered to a young son too.'

'Mary', a college lecturer from Nottingham, was told by teachers at her son's school last year that they feared the boy, now 13, had been drinking. 'They were worried this might be behind his underperformance. I couldn't believe it. We had always forbidden him from touching alcohol. He sometimes complained of headaches in the morning and weariness.

We decided there wasn't any point being confrontational. We raised it with him gently. 'We found out he'd been drinking regularly for about two years. He obtained wine from older boys after school and it had become accepted among his friends that this was a normal thing to do. He said it helped cope with the constant pressure of school.'

Researchers found that wine had been tasted at least once by 62 per cent of the 10 to 11 -year-old boys, beer by 58 per cent and spirits by 35 per cent. 30 per cent had tasted alcopops, the fruit juice and alcohol mixtures whose manufacturers have been accused of targeting young people.

Tips to discourage tippling:

• Never "glamorize" alcohol in front of children. There is nothing exotic about taking an unprescribed and potentially harmful drug.
• Point out when appropriate that abuse of alcohol results in loss of control and costs lives - use examples from newspapers in the home.
• Do not drink excessively in the presence of children

A spokeswoman for Alcohol Concern said: 'It's a rite of passage, but young people have to have a sensible relationship with alcohol. At the end of the day, parents are crucial role models for their children.