IRISH parents can’t afford head lice treatment and other medical supplies for their children, a top charity has warned.
National Policy Manager at Barnardos Stephen Moffatt said that as cost of living increases, parents are being forced to “decide between heating, food or medical treatment” for their children.
He told the Irish Sun: “A huge concern we are seeing across all our services is that children who may have minor health-related issues and their parents can’t afford treatment.
“There have been issues where families didn’t have the money to pay for hair lice treatment and we have to give them the money to get it.
“With those sorts of things, you’re thinking they might have had to go without that.”
A recent Barnardos report found that 70 per cent of Irish parents said their children have been negatively affected by recent cost of living increases.
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Almost two thirds of Irish parents have had to go without certain essentials, with over a quarter of parents cutting back or going without heat, and 23 per cent cutting back on their electricity.
One Barnardos staff member said in the report: “One family cannot afford to pay for heating and as a result, their infant child has to wear an outdoor coat inside the house in order to keep warm.
“One of the parents has been in tears with staff about heating the house, which is badly in need of renovation.
“It is very hard for this parent to look at their parenting, what they want to improve and what they would like support with, when they are simply trying to survive day to day.”
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According to the report, recent cost of living increases have also put families under significant “financial distress”, negatively impacting their ability to focus on parenting.
Almost two-thirds of parents are regularly worrying about being able to provide their children with daily essentials such as food, heat and electricity.
Another Barnardos staff member said: “One parent is borderline hysterical about new financial pressures, constantly worried about the next bill that she won’t be able to pay, she has lost all hope of being able to manage.”
Stephen added that parents are falling under severe “mental distress” in trying to provide for their children, often seeing their own well-being suffer as a result.
He said: “The level of mental distress that that can bring on, the constant, constant worries, alongside the fact that parents often prioritise feeding, clothing and medically treating their child over themselves.
“That’s not good for the parent nor is it good for the child.”
CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH
While cutbacks on daily essentials have had a significant impact on Irish children in low income households. Their social life and mental health, which is essential to their development, have also been stifled.
According to the report, 50 per cent of parents said that their children are missing out on social activities and entertainment due to their financial constraints, while 34 per cent can’t afford to buy their kids new clothes.
Barnardos claim that children are often aware when their parents are under stress and financial strain which can cause them to feel “considerable anxiety and at times make them feel shame”.
They added that these financial constraints can also have a direct impact on children’s interactions with their peers, as they know they will have to go without certain extra curricular and social activities, like school trips.
SOCIAL WOES
Stephen added: “Social activities might might seem like they’re not that big of a deal because you’re cutting back on entertainment which many seen as a nicety.
“But for a lot of families that we would support it’s not a case of cutting back, it’s a case of, there is nothing.
“These are the fundamental things that are important to children’s development and childhoods in general, and now for many kids its gone.”
Stephen also noted that children are becoming more and more aware of their parents’ financial hardships.
He said: “Parents can do as much as they can to protect their kids from any financial worries, but it nearly always works its way down.
“And even if parents do come up with the money to pay for some new clothes or a school trip, the kids are aware of the financial pressure they are putting on them.
“There’s absolute basics children deserve to have like food and clothes, but that also includes recreation.”
While social exclusion due to financial constraints can have a negative impact on a child’s mental health and development, it can also affect their education.
The report said: “This can turn into a cycle in which parents are embarrassed and avoid communicating with the school, leading to a breakdown in the home/school relationship and an exacerbation of the neglect of the children’s education.”
Barnardos CEO Suzanne Conolly said: “These national findings, and our experience on the ground, tell us that more and more families across Ireland are falling into financial distress.
“We are calling on the Government to introduce a hardship fund through the Department of Social Protection where families can go to get support paying essential bills when otherwise their children would go without.
“At Barnardos we say childhood lasts a lifetime, which is why it is so important for the Government to act now.”
- Families in need of assistance can contact Barnardos by phone at 01 453 0355 or by email at info@barnardos.ie