This UK study examined how parents teach young children (aged 5 to 12) about alcohol. It explored parental attitudes towards alcohol, and family drinking practices, using a national survey and in-depth case studies. It found that:
• Parents are the most important influence on young children's attitudes to alcohol;
• Parents are largely successful at conveying the social pleasures and risks of drinking at home and the message that alcohol should be consumed in moderation;
• There are gaps in what children learn from home such as the health consequences of drinking and the potential risks of drinking outside the home.