Half of parents allow under-14s to consume alcohol at home, research finds

According to survey conducted by Churchill Home Insurance, half of parents with children under 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.

The survey questioned 1,000 parents, and found 34 per cent of respondents admitted to using alcohol as a bribe to encourage better behaviour from children.

Under current regulations, it is illegal for children under the age of 16 to consume alcohol at home.

Furthermore, the Chief Medical Officer's report found that children under 14 who are exposed to alcohol often have increased health risks, including suicide attempts, involvement in violence and alcohol-related injuries.

However, many parents have defended their actions, claiming that allowing their children to drink at home enables them to monitor their child’s alcohol consumption.

Martin Scott, of Churchill Home Insurance, commented: “The relationship between children and alcohol in Britain always seems more fraught than for our continental cousins. Many parents want their children to have a responsible attitude to drinking and introduce alcohol in a safe, controlled environment.

“The challenge any parent will recognise is how to prevent excessive drinking, especially amongst teenagers.”

Joanna Simons, chief executive at Alcohol Concern, said: "We know that many parents start from the best intentions when they introduce children to alcohol at home, but all the research indicates that the younger that children start drinking, the more likely they are to have problems with alcohol in later life.

"Parents are really important role models for their children and the more that they can keep an eye on the number of units they're drinking, and have a few days off drinking each week, the more that their children's attitude to alcohol will be shaped in a safer way.”