The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (Nacoa) is a charity in the United Kingdom providing information and support for people affected by their parent or parents' drinking, via a telephone and email helpline.[1] Nacoa is a registered charity in England and Wales with charity number 1009143.[2]
In 2012, Nacoa was involved in a research project for the Children's Commissioner for England reviewing needs and services for children and families affected by parental alcohol misuse.[4] In the report the Children's Commissioner highlights the need for services to support children and their families and suggests that "the misuse of alcohol by parents negatively affects the lives and harms the wellbeing of more children than does the misuse of illegal drugs".
Services
Nacoa provides information, advice and support for everyone affected by a parent's drinking and people concerned for their welfare.[2] This is provided primarily through a free, confidential telephone and email helpline and website. The helpline is staffed by trained volunteers.
Nacoa also produces a range of publications for children (including ‘Some mums and dads drink too much and it's frightening’ and ‘Information for children of alcohol-dependent parents’), parents, professionals, teachers and children’s mental health professionals .[5]
Nacoa conducts outreach and provides information on the problems faced by children living with parental addiction, and of the support available, through media articles and public talks given in settings such as schools, professional agencies, and community organisations. Nacoa is a regular exhibitor at the UK and European Symposium on Addictive Disorders (UKESAD) organised by the alcohol and drug treatment journal Addiction Today.[6]
Nacoa relies entirely on voluntary donations. As a membership organisation some of these donations come by way of annual subscriptions.
A significant proportion of income comes through people taking part in sponsored events. Many people now collect sponsorship online using sites such as Justgiving. Recent sponsored events have included the Big Nacoa Walk, Nacoa Big Drop abseil of the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the London Landmarks Half Marathon, the Great North Run, a London to Paris bike ride, skydiving and a sponsored haircut. Nacoa was the recipient of the BBC Radio 4 Appeal in 2003 and 2013. [citation needed]
Nacoa has been the charity partner of Upfest, Europe's largest street art festival, since the festival's beginning in 2008.[7]
In June 2012 Nacoa was awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.[8] The award, which is the equivalent an MBE, recognises outstanding achievement by groups of volunteers. Nacoa also received the Guardian Charity Award in 2006.[9]
Other recognitions include being awarded the Meritorious Service Award 2012 by NACoA USA[10] and the Mentor UK Certificate of merit in 2008. Nacoa's CEO Hilary Henriques was awarded the Women of the Year Outstanding Achievement Award in 2009.[11] Nacoa is an accredited member of The Helplines Association.[12]
Media
Nacoa's work featured on BBC Comic Relief's Red Nose Day broadcast in 2009.[13] Later in 2009, Nacoa's work featured on the BBC Children in Need film ‘Brought Up By Booze’ where Nacoa patron Calum Best, son of footballer George Best, explored the effect of his father's drinking on his life and met other children in the UK living in similar situations.[14]
Nacoa's CEO, Hilary Henriques, featured as one of fourteen women from across the world in Comic Relief's publication ‘Inspiring Women’ printed in 2010.
Following campaigning by Nacoa supporters, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth appeared on BBC Breakfast TV together to jointly announce £6million of support for alcohol-dependent parents and their children.[15]
Trustees: Dr Anne-Marie Barron, Maya Parker MA Hon. (Treasurer), Laurence Alleyne, Jane Elson, Euan Graham, Katy Stafford (Chair of trustees)
Consultative Council
Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection – Clare Adams & Katie Wilson
Clinical Advice – Peter Taberner
Clinical Psychology and Family Therapy – John Friel & Jerry Moe
Counselling & Therapy – Lois Evans
Fiscal Probity – Keith Hall
GP Liaison – Jacqueline Chang
Helpline – James Galloway & Jessica Munafo
Legal – Valerie McGee
Press and Communications – Julia Goodwin, Virginia Ironside & Deidre Saunders
Research – Martin Callingham
International
Independent organisations have been set up around the world with similar aims. These include NACoA in the United States, NACOA Deutschland in Germany, Nacoa Brasil in Brazil and NACOA POLSKA in Poland.
To celebrate COA Week 2011, Nacoa released their first charity single, a cover of the Sam Cooke classic ‘A change is gonna come’ sung by Maria McAteer (daughter of Al Timothy) with piano and arrangement by Bjorn Dahlberg and strings by the Stanford Quartet.[19] The music video for the single made by Sean Caveille was filmed in Bristol and featured Nacoa volunteers.[20]
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