About one in four parents are experiencing financial difficulty when it comes to the cost of raising children, according to a new survey.
Parents were asked about their weekly grocery spending, with a quarter saying they spend more than €200 per week and 37 per cent reporting costs of between €150 and €200, reports Breaking News.
Among families who had accessed mental health supports, more than half described them as poor or terrible, while 45 per cent of those who sought special needs assessments said the services were inadequate.
The findings come from an online survey of 1,878 parents of school-going children across Ireland, conducted by Schooldays.ie, a website providing resources for parents and educators, reports Breaking News.
The survey found that parents’ main concerns centred on mental health supports, financial pressures and children’s online access.
More than a quarter of parents (28 per cent) said their child had undergone an assessment for specialist educational needs, but only eight per cent rated the assessment and support process as excellent, reports Breaking News.
Twenty per cent of parents described the services as poor, while a further 25 per cent said they were very poor.
A similar proportion of parents (28 per cent) said their child had required mental health services such as counselling or psychiatric care, reports Breaking News.
Among those who accessed such supports, 58.7 per cent rated their experience as poor or terrible, and over 61 per cent said they waited six months or more.
When it comes to internet use, most parents believe children should receive their first mobile phone between the ages of 11 and 15, with 55 per cent identifying age 13 as appropriate, reports Breaking News.
A clear majority of parents support restrictions or outright bans on mobile phones during the school day, with 72 per cent in favour.
Most parents said they had discussed bullying and consent with their children, but 34 per cent had not spoken about alcohol or drugs, while a further 39 per cent said they believed this was the school’s responsibility, reports Breaking News.
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The rising cost of living was also highlighted as a concern, with 23 per cent of households struggling financially due to higher energy, grocery and back-to-school expenses.
When asked what they would introduce if they were Taoiseach, 40 per cent chose free healthcare for all, 21 per cent said housing for all, 11 per cent opted for free childcare and 16 per cent selected “other”, reports Breaking News.
The survey also showed a shift towards more balanced and connected parenting styles, with nearly 77 per cent of parents saying they usually discipline children by talking issues through rather than using punishment.
Almost half of parents said their family eats dinner together every day, while another 40 per cent do so several times a week, reports Breaking News.
Psychologist and parenting specialist Dr Mary O’Kane said using conversation instead of physical punishment is linked to better emotional outcomes for children, and that shared meals help foster connection.
“I am also heartened by how many families are still sharing regular meals together,” she said, reports Breaking News.
“Sitting around the table may seem simple, but it plays a powerful role in building communication skills, resilience and a strong sense of belonging,” she said, reports Breaking News.
Richard Murphy, owner of Schooldays.ie, said the survey provided an opportunity to hear directly from parents after 20 years of offering online resources and “to capture what family life in Ireland feels like right now”.
“What comes through very strongly is that parents are doing their very best: they are talking to their children about consent, bullying and mental health, they are striving for balanced, connected parenting in a world that is changing at speed,” he said, reports Breaking News.
“At the same time, the findings make it clear that families are under immense pressure – from long waits for assessments and mental health services to the rising cost of everyday life,” he said, reports Breaking News.
“It was important for us to run this survey so that parents have a clear point of reference, and so that schools, service providers and policymakers can see the realities behind the headlines,” he said, reports Breaking News.
“Our hope is that this report becomes a practical tool for parents and a catalyst for better supports for families across Ireland,” he said, reports Breaking News.
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