Alex's Answer

Hi there and welcome to Ask Alex,

You have told us your friend is going through a lot and that their father is misusing drugs. You are asking us what you can do.

Thanks for coming forward and asking for help for a friend, that is very kind of you and very brave.

The best thing to do would be to talk to an adult you trust and explain the situation to them. If your friend is living under the same roof as a someone who misuses drugs, it means they are not safe and therefore this is a child protection issue. This should be reported to Túsla, the child and family agency in Ireland. This report can only be done by an adult. Túsla would assess the risk your friend is exposed to and offer support to the family to overcome the situation. In cases where the family is not able to keep the child safe and nurtured, they would look for other options of care for that child. You can read more about this here www.tusla.ie/services/child-protection-welfare/concerns/

As a friend, you can be there to listen, and to accompany your friend where they need to go to for help. You can explain that you are there for them all the while this is going on for them.

It is important that, that while you support your friend, you pay equal attention to your own wellbeing and link with an adult when you feel things get hard for you to cope.

If you and/or your friend need to talk to someone and a trusting adult is not around for you, know that Childline is here for you every day of the year, 24-hours a day. We listen, support, and can guide you through whatever you  need. We can be reached by calling 1800 66 66 66 or through Live Chat on our website www.childline.ie.

We hope this helps. In case you need further support, please, do not hesitate to reach out to us again.

Take care of yourself,

Alex