Barnardos report finds parents under 'considerable financial pressure' with back-to-school costs

A report from the children's charity Barnardos has found that parents are under 'considerable financial pressure' due to the rising cost of living.

The survey, in which 1,000 parents took part, examined the basic cost of sending a child to primary and secondary schools in 2022.

It has been well documented that the rising cost of living is resulting in people nationwide having to make difficult decisions on how they spend their money: just two weeks ago, a separate survey by iReach Insights found that large numbers of people said that they are worried that they will not be able to afford to keep buying groceries if prices continue to increase at the current rate.

FINDINGS

Over two thirds of primary (69 per cent) and three-quarters of secondary school parents in the survey said they were worried about meeting costs this year.

The survey showed that 46 per cent of primary and 48 per cent of secondary school parents said recent cost-of-living increases had made it much more difficult to meet costs.

Just over one third of parents, 36 per cent, said it had made it slightly more difficult.

The average cost of the basics needed for a fourth-class pupil is €424, while €814 is required for first-year secondary students and it costs €722 to send fifth-year students back to school.

APPEAL

Barnardos' CEO, Suzanne Connolly, said about the findings: "Barnardos is calling on the government in Budget 2023 to recognise and introduce measures to alleviate the pressures that families are under.

"Parents have told us that their children’s back to school costs are placing considerable financial pressure on them, particularly as a result of rapid cost of living increases.    

"Barnardos believes that no parent should face financial pressure and struggles in trying to meet what are essential costs for their children’s education. No child should feel any anxiety about their parents’ ability to meet school costs.    

She continued: "The Government has increased the back to school allowance this year by €100 to reduce pressures on families, something Barnardos very much welcomes.

"However, we think the government could go further and set out plans to provide a genuinely free school system for all children."

Ms Connolly further said that underfunding of schools has meant that parents are left trying to help schools meet shortfalls in funding through voluntary contributions: "The government must provide adequate funding to schools so that they no longer have to rely on additional contributions from parents.    

"Barnardos is calling on the government to take further steps in providing free education by introducing free schoolbooks, ensuring all schools allow for affordable uniforms, ending voluntary contributions and maintaining the recent increase in the back to school clothing and footwear allowance," she concluded.

In addition, Parent Spokesperson Sarah, who is a mother of four children (three of which attend primary school), shared her views in the survey.

She said: "Living in a rural area, it's not just the school costs it's also the huge costs of transporting the children to school. Fuel, tax, insurance, the living costs in the home, heating food and electricity.

"We have no other choices to get children to school, it has gone beyond crazy at the cost of living these days. 

"The government need to spend time in the real world," Sarah said.

The full report from Barnardos can be read here.