One in four children are worried about their parents' finances this Christmas

One in four children is worried their parents won't have enough money to enjoy Christmas.

A new survey from The Children's Society is looking into the impact of lockdown on how young people see the world.

It reveals what’s weighing on children’s minds in the build-up to the festive season, with more than half (51%) of those surveyed worried about their elderly relatives catching the coronavirus.

The charity’s survey of 2,000 children aged 10-16, based across the UK, took a temperature check of their feelings this winter amid the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nearly two thirds (64%) of children surveyed ranked visiting family as the thing they will miss most this Christmas, with almost half (43%) of children worried that they won't be able to spend Christmas with their loved ones. Despite new nationwide measures allowing three households to meet, many will still be separated from their loved ones.

Nearly a third (33%) of those surveyed agreed with the statement: “This Christmas I care more about being with the people I love than getting presents”.

Cash worries

The Covid-19 crisis has disproportionately affected low-income families, putting them at increased risk of poverty. This year, many parents have faced job and income losses, in addition to the increased expense of having their children at home while schools were closed.

The situation has not escaped children’s notice, with more than a quarter surveyed (27%) believing this Christmas will be harder financially than it has been before.

What is on children's "alternative" Christmas list?

When asked what is on their ‘alternative Christmas wish list’, the majority of children surveyed (58%) indicated what they want most of all is for everyone they love to be happy and healthy. The second most popular choice was a lovely family Christmas dinner, with almost half of survey respondents (49%) choosing this option.

As the country emerges from national lockdown, The Children’s Society is urging families to talk to their children about how they are feeling about arrangements for Christmas and encouraging everyone to think of imaginative ways to reignite the usual feelings of hope, excitement and joy in children this festive season, at the end of a difficult year.

Speaking to your child about their worries

Mark Russell, Chief Executive of The Children’s Society, said:

“Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, we were seeing a shocking decline in children’s well-being. It is deeply concerning that so many children are feeling scared and worried, at a time of year which should be full of fun and joy. Worries about important things such as relatives’ health and uncertainty about the future can have a hugely detrimental impact on children and young people’s wellbeing. Everything we do at The Children’s Society is about fighting for hope in even the darkest of times, and we know that hope is vitally important to everyone right now.

“At The Children’s Society, we’re doing things differently this year. We’re moving our traditional Christingle service to also run online so that people can come together and enjoy the celebrations in a socially distant way.

The charity’s Life on Hold report, published in July 2020, found that a higher proportion of young people in poverty were ‘very worried’ about the coronavirus than those not in poverty. It also found that the pandemic has impacted children’s relationships with family and friends.

Laura Reed, a young people’s intensive key work practitioner at The Children’s Society, offers the following advice to parents concerned about their children’s well-being:

“Spend time with your children and have fun – do activities which are not in front of a phone or games console. It’s difficult at the moment because there aren’t many places you can go, but having fun, talking about your children’s feelings and explaining things to them are all helpful. It’s important to notice things that may be off – it can be the tip of the iceberg.”

To find out more about The Children’s Society, and to get information on their 2020 Christingle resources visit: Christingle.org/resources