Debbie's closest familial relationship is with her father, Frank. Unlike Fiona, Lip, Ian and Carl, Debbie admires him and often shows her love for him, often seen to be the most affected when he is in danger or trouble. For example, she screams in terror when she believes that Frank's body has been found in a nearby canal. Throughout the series, Frank often lets Debbie down and seems to be unappreciative of her efforts to keep the family together. For example, during some of his drunken rants, he presents himself as being lumbered with children whom he has the sole responsibility of caring for them and seems to forget occasionally what an asset Debbie is to the family. Debbie's feelings of closeness to Frank often leave her the most vulnerable to being let down by him. Debbie's loyalty to her father is occasionally rewarded, and it is strongly suggested that Frank appreciates "Little Debbie" more than anyone else in the world, though that changes when he tells her crush Luke that she sleeps around the estate in hopes she doesn't sacrifice money for charity, and even when Frank tries to do good and give her money for a trip she still refuses to forgive him. Debbie also detests her mother more than the rest of the family, refusing to forgive her for abandoning them years ago or for her continued laziness and self-absorption. She did respond sympathetically when more details became clear regarding Monica's abusive childhood at her mother's hands. In contrast, Debbie was close to Frank's ex-wife, Sheila (Maggie O'Neill).