Lesson Overview
| Duration | 75 minutes |
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| Key Stage | College (Post-16) |
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| Subject Links | PSHE, Health & Social Care, Public Services, Criminology |
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| Resources Needed | Pupil handouts, Quiz, Presentation slides |
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Learning Objectives
- Analyse alcohol-related harm as a public health crisis and its economic and social costs
- Understand fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) as a safeguarding issue
- Evaluate the evidence for different alcohol harm reduction interventions
- Apply professional safeguarding frameworks to alcohol-related concerns
- Critically assess UK alcohol policy in the context of the alcohol industry's political influence
Key Information
- Alcohol costs England an estimated £21bn per year in healthcare, crime, and lost productivity
- Alcohol is the leading risk factor for death in 15-49 year olds in England
- Around 7,800 alcohol-specific deaths were recorded in England in 2024
- FASD affects an estimated 1 in 67 births to mothers who drink during pregnancy
- Children in the most deprived communities are 5x more likely to be affected by parental alcohol harm
Legal Framework
- Licensing Act 2003 — framework for the sale and supply of alcohol
- Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) Act 2012 (Scotland) — introduced minimum unit pricing
- The Care Act 2014 — alcohol dependency as a health and social care concern
- Children Act 1989/2004 — parental alcohol misuse as a child protection concern
- Equality Act 2010 — alcohol dependency as a potential disability
- NICE Guidelines — professional responsibilities for identification and brief advice (IBA)
Lesson Plan
10 mins The Scale of the Problem
£21bn annual cost. 7,800 deaths. Leading risk factor in working age. Break down the statistics and discuss: who bears the burden? Is alcohol treated differently to other drugs, and why?
12 mins FASD: The Hidden Epidemic
What is FASD? How many children are affected? Why is it under-diagnosed? What are the implications for education, social care, and public health professionals?
12 mins Policy Levers: What Works?
Minimum unit pricing: the Scottish evidence. Advertising restrictions. Licensing conditions. What does the evidence say about what reduces alcohol harm? Why is UK policy slower to adopt proven measures?
10 mins Industry Influence
The role of the alcohol industry in shaping public discourse, funding research, and lobbying against evidence-based policy. How to critically evaluate information sources.
10 mins Professional Safeguarding Practice
NICE guidance on Identification and Brief Advice (IBA). Parental alcohol use: assessment frameworks. How to have non-judgmental conversations with young people and families.
6 mins Reflection
What should UK alcohol policy look like, based on the evidence? What would you do as a professional in your intended field?
⚠️ Safeguarding Considerations
- Participants may have personal or family experience of alcohol harm — create a safe space
- FASD content may resonate with participants who have lived experience — be sensitive
- Professional safeguarding duties discussed apply to most post-16 pathways into health, education, and social care
If a pupil makes a disclosure during this session, follow your school's safeguarding procedures and refer to your DSL immediately.
Key Messages
- Alcohol causes more harm in the UK than any other drug — yet is treated very differently by policy
- FASD is a significant and under-recognised safeguarding issue
- Minimum unit pricing has demonstrably saved lives — the evidence is strong
- Industry influence on alcohol policy is a documented barrier to public health improvement
- Every professional working with families has a role in identification and brief advice
Support Resources
| Organisation | Contact | Purpose |
|---|
| Childline | 0800 1111 | 24/7 support for young people |
| Crimestoppers | 0800 555 111 | 100% anonymous reporting |
| CEOP | ceop.police.uk | Report online exploitation |
| NSPCC | 0808 800 5000 | Child protection advice |
| Emergency | 999 | Immediate danger |