A new working party is being set up to establish how they can be helped.

Organisations involved include the government's drug and alcohol team, Isle of Man Children's Centre and social services.

David Gawne, of Caring for Carers, said alcohol or drug abuse often resulted in violence, financial problems or marriage breakdown.

The organisation's 2005 conference heard harrowing accounts of life from families, voiced by actors reading from written statements.

Mr Gawne said delegates heard of a wide range of affects on families where there was abuse of either drugs, alcohol or some other type of substance.

"This ranged from physical abuse within the family to severe financial problems, breakdown of marriages, to children being deprived of things which other children take for granted," he added.