Information about the West Norfolk Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) and useful information for parents and carers
About the Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP)
A Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) was launched in King’s Lynn & West Norfolk in October 2021 and since then has been working to reduce the harm alcohol can do to our children and young people.
The CAP aims to achieve this by raising awareness of the dangers through educating, promoting and enforcing underage sales with our partners such the Police and Trading Standards.
CAPs are made up of partnerships between local authorities, police, schools, retailers, neighbourhood groups and health providers, working together to highlight the risks of underage drinking and improve the health and wellbeing of local young people.
Nationally, the number of CAP’s has risen from 200 in 2021 to 300 in 2025 with aims to double this figure in the coming years and the CAP annual report 2024-2025.
This report demonstrates the desire to move forward in promoting healthy choices and dispelling parental myths of giving their children alcohol to reduce their child’s alcohol consumption as they journey into adulthood.
As well as being largely unaware of medical advice, the research shows how much parents overestimated the prevalence of teen drinking.
Parents in our survey believed 27% of 13 to 15 year olds drank regularly (once a week or more often) whereas in fact only 8% do so.
It seems that many of us are recalling what we were doing at that age, when behaviours have significantly changed over the past 20 years, during which time rates of underage drinking have halved.
Health advice for parents/carers
Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people.
The importance of parental influences on children’s alcohol use should be communicated to parents, carers and professionals. Parents and carers require advice on how to respond to alcohol use and misuse by children.
Support services must be available for children and young people who have alcohol-related problems and their parents.
Useful resources
- CAP | Further Sources of Advice for Parents and Carers
- Alcohol consumption by children and young people - GOV.UK
As the local CAP for West Norfolk, we have developed an Interactive Padlet for the public providing an ideal source of information for parents, children and young people.
For parents who may be struggling to engage with their child around the harms that consuming alcohol can bring, the Padlet contains video links through a QR code system demonstrating how alcohol can damage some of the things that young people consider important such as; body image, mental health and relationships.
The Padlet also has resources for the education establishments licensing trade, volunteer sector and other organisations.
West Norfolk CAP continues to will work with youth services and local organisations to provide alcohol-free activities for young people.
It will also work with local schools to take a proactive approach to alcohol education and ensure that young people are equipped to make the right decisions about issues including alcohol and drugs and anti-social and criminal behaviour. Working with local retailers; aims to help them avoid making underage sales and reduce ‘proxy’ sales where adults buy alcohol for under-18s.