Substance Misuse
As a professional working with families affected by alcohol or drug misuse, whether in substance misuse services, social care or education, you play an important role in recognising and supporting young carers.
Parental substance use can have a wide-ranging impact on children, even when parents are doing their best. Children often take on roles that aren’t obvious at first, trying not to make things worse, avoiding adding stress, or shielding the family from outside attention. Some blame themselves for what’s happening at home. Many worry about the consequences of asking for help.
At Gloucestershire Young Carers, we believe in putting the young back into young carer – supporting families in a way that protects childhood and strengthens the whole family system.
We appreciate that it can be difficult for parents with substance misuse issues to accept that their child has a caring role. However, on the other side of this conversation is access to support and connection for their children and support from staff who understand.
These experiences can affect emotional wellbeing, school engagement and long-term trust in services — but with the right approach, we can help turn that around.
What Young Carers Tell Us
Young carers living with parental substance use often describe:
Thinking About a Referral?
If you’re unsure whether a child or young person is eligible, we welcome informal conversations.
Call us on 01452 733060 to talk to a member of our team. Referral guidance can be found on our how to refer page.
Participation opportunities
Mosquito Mission
A group of young carers who advise professionals through training presentations, consultations, and media work highlight impact of caring for those with stigmatised conditions..
Support for Parents
We work to connect parents with appropriate substance misuse services — with their consent
GET IN TOUCH
Gloucestershire Young Carers is dedicated to supporting young carers and with your help we can reach more children and young people across the county.
