One in six parents have admitted that they let their children drink alcohol before they turn 14. A new study has highlighted these shocking figures.
According to The Guardian, the research comes from the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the UCL Institute of Education.
The study looked at 10,000 children in the UK, born around the time of the millennium, and found that well-educated parents were the most common to let their children drink before the age of 14.
The majority of parents felt that the introduction of alcohol earlier would teach their children about drinking responsibly. But, recent has proven that this decision could lead to failure in school in later years, behavioural difficulties and alcohol problems when they become adults.
Almost half of the children surveyed had admitted to drinking alcohol a few times before they turned 14, and more than just a few sips.
There was no difference between parents who drank moderate amounts to those who heavily drank, with both groups as likely to let their children drink underage.
Commenting on the results, Jennifer Maggs, the lead author said:
“Parents of socially advantaged children may believe that allowing children to drink will teach them responsible use or may in fact inoculate them against dangerous drinking. However, there is little research to support these ideas.”
She added, “While social disadvantage predicts many long-term health problems, parents of socially advantaged children appear to view alcohol use as less risky.”
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