Contents - NACoA

If a Child Comes to You for Help,
What Should You Do?
What can I do—and what shouldn’t I do?
The following list of “do’s and don’ts” may be helpful if a child comes to you looking
for help.
1. DO find out who the helping professionals are in your community.
Knowing which organizations have resources to help children will make
it easier when a child comes to you.
2. DO maintain a close working relationship with appropriate helping
professionals that you can turn to when a child comes to you for help.
3. DO follow through if the child asks for help. You may be the only
person the child has approached. Courses of action you might choose
include the following:
· Speak with your supervisor about your concerns.
· If the child’s school has educational support groups for children from
troubled families, assist the school staff responsible for the program
in referring the child to a group.
· Discuss the value of group participation with the child’s parent when
appropriate.
· Encourage the parent to refer the child or speak to an appropriate
professional.
4. DO maintain resources and pamphlets on alcohol-related problems
that have been written for children. Many of these are available at low
or no cost from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information,
Al-Anon/Alateen, and the National Association for Children of
Alcoholics.
5. DO be aware that children of alcoholics may be threatened by displays
of affection, especially physical contact.
6. DO follow your center’s established procedures if a parent comes to
pick up their child and exhibits behaviors that suggest that they are
intoxicated.