Toolkit for general practice

Supporting materials

However effectively practice staff are able to introduce the subject of parental drinking and its effects on children, they will want to be able to back this up with written material that can reinforce the messages. For their part, concerned parents are likely to want something concrete to take away that will act as a reminder of the things they need to do and to remember. Particularly useful would be:

Information for parents about reducing/eliminating immediate risks
Information for parents about reducing risk of long term harm to their children
Information for parents on developing ways of building resilience within their children

See Information for parents for sample information sheets.

Of equal use would be local information for parents on:

Support services for themselves and their children
Services to help parents develop their parenting capacity

This should be in addition to information the practice already has available for parents on:

Problem drinking and reducing alcohol consumption
Services available for those worried about their own or another’s alcohol problem.

(see, for example Alcohol Concern materials at www.alcoholconcern.org.uk)