There are an estimated 40-60,000 children in Scotland affected by drug misuse in the family and 80-100,000 by alcohol misuse. In Edinburgh alone, there are roughly 7,000 children who live with parents with at least one level of problematic alcohol use and a minimum 2,173 who are affected by parental drug use. Children of such parents are often bewildered, confused, upset and frightened by their parents' actions. They may also sustain abuse and neglect and experience social isolation and stigma.

CrossReach Sunflower Garden Project will hold group and 1-to-1 therapeutic sessions specifically designed to meet the needs of children and young people affected by problematic parental alcohol or drug use. By attending a group session, a child can suddenly discover that there are others with similar experiences, thus reducing their burden of shame and guilt. What happens then is that they begin to express and explore their distressing thoughts and feelings and to develop ways of coping.