Nacoa was founded in 1990 to address the needs of children growing up in families where one or both parent suffer from alcohol dependency. This includes children of all ages, many of whose problems only become apparent in adulthood.
Nacoa's aims are :-
1. To offer information, advice and support to children of alcohol-dependent parents.
2. To reach professionals who work with them.
3. To raise their profile in the public consciousness.
4. To promote research into the problems they face and the prevention of alcohol dependency developing in this vulnerable group.
Nacoa provides a free, confidential telephone and email helpline and our volunteer helpline counsellors provide a listening ear to children, young people and adults who often have no one to turn to, for care and support. The free, confidential telephone and email helpline provides a lifeline - a kindly voice in what might seem a hostile world. Our work is all about planning for a more positive future, an opportunity for children to see that the world can be different from the one they've always known and that they can, with help, make positive choices for themselves irrespective of whether their parent(s) stop drinking.
Nacoa can also signpost callers to other organisations which might be near to where they live so that they gain further support.
