This study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation examines how parents ‘teach’ young children between the age of 5 to 12 about alcohol. It explores parents’ attitudes and family drinking practices using a national survey and in-depth case study research. Drawing on a representative survey of 2,089 parents and carers, and case studies involving interviews and participant observation, as well as child centred methods, this research provides insights into:

• parents’ attitudes to alcohol;
• the development of family rules and guidance in relation to alcohol;
• the ways in which parents’ own childhood experiences influence their approach to introducing their children to alcohol;
• how parents and family members model drinking practices to children; and
• what children think about alcohol and their different understandings of social and health risks.

Download the full report:

Family life and alcohol consumption: A study of the transmission of drinking practices (PDF)