See the event “Making the Invisible Visible – Children in Families Affected by Gambling Problems”
At Arendalsuka, BarnsBeste focused on children in families affected by gambling problems. Watch a recording of the event in the article.
Photo: Eirik Urdal
“Children do not choose their parents’ actions. Nor are children responsible for their parents’ mistakes.”
The aim of the event was to highlight the often invisible consequences that gambling problems can have for children and families. When a parent has gambling problems, the whole family is affected. Many children live with unpredictability, silence, financial insecurity and emotional stress, while their experiences often remain unseen both by support services and by society at large.
Together withTrude KlevanandBente Weimandfrom Akershus University Hospital and the University of South-Eastern Norway,Magnus Eidemfrom Blue Cross Gambling Addiction andPetter Rønningfrom NAV Narvik, we highlighted experiences from practice and presented the new research projectKNOWME.
The aim of the KNOWME project is to develop conversation tools that help families talk together about what they have experienced, understand each other better and find a way forward together. The project will contribute to greater knowledge about how gambling problems affect families and how children can receive better support.
BarnsBeste is part of the project’s reference group, and we look forward to following its progress.
Many thanks to the minister and all the contributors for helping to highlight the children who all too often become invisible when a family is affected by gambling problems.