Children of Alcoholics

As part of efforts to raise awareness about this serious issue, the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health co-sponsored a national public television broadcast of Lost Childhood: Growing Up In An Alcoholic Family, a powerful documentary reported, written, and produced by Emmy Award-winning television journalist Emerald Yeh. Lost Childhood aired on PBS stations throughout the country during February 2005. The program follows children of alcoholics over a 17-year period, from young ages into adulthood. It spotlights this issue through the eyes of children, and demonstrates the need for prevention programs.

Web Resources | Research Articles | Facts and Figures | Local Programs

Web Resources

Lost Childhood: Growing Up In An Alcoholic Family has a website with a program description, the documentary's broadcast schedule, recommended reading for children and adults, and other resources.

National Children of Alcoholics Week. This year's theme is "A Celebration of Hope and Healing." Posters, a kit for children's service providers, publications, and other resources are available from this website.

National Association for Children of Alcoholics. NACOA advocates for children and families affected by alcoholism and other drug dependencies. The website provides articles, guides, research, information for children, and other resources.

Children of Alcoholics Community Action Guide. This handbook offers tools for raising awareness about children of alcoholics, including fact sheets, a media guide, and talking points.

National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information. This website by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a resource for a wide range of information about substance abuse prevention and treatment.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (National Institutes of Health). NIAAA is a resource for research, databases, and pamphlets on many facets of alcoholism. NIAAA also sponsors a website specifically for middle school-age children, www.thecoolspot.gov.

A Family Guide to Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free. This parent-oriented website offers tips for talking to children, being a role model, making rules, and monitoring children's activities.

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. NOFAS offers resources for parents, health professionals, educators, advocates and people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

The Community Alcohol Personality Survey. This action guide, created by the advocacy group FACE, helps community members address the factors in their local environments that facilitate underage drinking.

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Research Articles

PEDIATRICS: The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
(May 1999)
This supplement focuses on children affected by substance abuse. It includes articles on prevention and intervention, and a review of research on children of alcoholics.

Children of Alcoholics Special Issue. Alcohol Health and Research World. (1997)
This special issue includes a review of research on children of alcoholics, as well as articles about risk and resilience in children of alcoholics, prenatal alcohol exposure, and psychological characteristics of children of alcoholics.

"Children of Alcoholics: Are They Different?"
Alcohol Alert. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (July 1990)
This article summarizes research findings on whether and how children of alcoholics differ from other children, the extent to which those differences are due to parental alcoholism or to living in a stressful environment, and what makes some children of alcoholics resilient.

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Facts and Figures

Source: Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, February 2004. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/databases/brfss02.htm. Retrieved 1/27/05

Source: Santa Clara County. Santa Clara County's Children and Youth: Key Indicators of Well-Being, 2003. http://www.sccgov.org/scc/assets/docs/335550CYP%20Report%202003.pdf

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Local Programs

The Children's Place, a program of the Legacy Foundation, provides education, support groups and summer camp for children from addicted families in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. This program is featured in the documentary, Lost Childhood: Growing Up In An Alcoholic Family.
(650) 216-7311

San Mateo County Alcohol & Other Drug Services operates a 24-hour Alcohol and Drug Help-line, which offers support and referrals to people affected by someone else's use of alcohol or other drugs, as well as to people struggling with their own use.
(650) 573-3950

The Santa Clara County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services operates Gateway, a help-line that provides callers with screening, information, and referrals.
(800) 488-9919

Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). This website can help you locate a substance abuse treatment facility near you.

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