About us
Nacoa addresses the needs of children of all ages growing up in families where one or both parents suffer from alcohol dependency. We offer information, advice and support to children, including adults, reach out and support professionals who work with them; raise the profile in the public consciousness; promote research into the problems they face and the prevention of alcoholism developing in this vulnerable group. Our phone lines are open throughout the week and emails can be received at any time. The helpline empowers these children with a variety of life skills to help them cope with difficult ongoing challenges.
The way we work has been developed by listening and taking account of what children, young people and adults tell us they want and need. Our focus is on the individual caller, encouraging them to look at their own practical wants and needs, rather than those of the family.
Callers tell their stores to more than one Volunteer Helpline Counsellor. Sometimes they’ve allowed their feelings to build up inside until they feel ready to explode or become ill with symptoms like abdominal pains and headaches. By recounting experiences, callers begin a process of looking at difficulties one at a time whilst at the same time realizing that they are not alone; are not responsible for their parent’s drinking; did not cause it and cannot control it; and are not responsible for their parent’s behaviour.
Callers often feel overwhelmed and use drink, drugs, eating problems and self-harm, as a means of surviving difficulties at home and problems at school. This seemingly destructive behavior is seen as a means of coping. With Nacoa’s support these children can learn a variety of coping and self-care strategies to stay safe and to respect themselves.
Our services are funded by voluntary donations and membership.
• £10 pays for 5 information packs to be sent out to professionals working with children of alcohol-dependent parents • £60 pays for our free phone calls for a week • £400 pays to train a new volunteer helpline counsellor and, • £800 keeps the helpline running for 6 weeks
Since Covid-19 and lockdown our calls have doubled. You can read more on this 'Report: Covid So Far, Lockdown and the Lost Children' - https://www.nacoa.org.uk/news-and-events/news/2020/06/05/report-covid-so-far-lockdown-and-the-lost-children/
