Cost of feeding children leaves parents dreading summer holidays
Nearly three-quarters of families supported by charity Cash for Kids will go into debt over the school holidays
Struggling parents are 'dreading' the long school summer holiday because of the extra pressure it puts on their finances according to new research.
Charity Cash For Kids has been speaking to some of the families their fundraising supports to determine the impact of the summer holidays on vulnerable families.
The survey revealed the cost of extra meals over the holidays affects family finances, mental health and relationships.
84% of families surveyed skipping meals
Responses to Cash For Kids' survey uncovered a picture of spiralling debt, high use of food banks and community food groups and an increase in anxiety, depression and feelings of guilt amongst parents who feel as if they’re failing their children.
- 84% of the families they support are skipping meals once a week and almost a third are going without meals on a daily basis
- 80% are using a food bank or similar community food scheme in order to put food on the table
- Almost three-quarters expect to go into debt over the school holidays
- Around half can only afford to buy fresh fruit and vegetables once every two weeks
Cash for Kids Day, taking place this Thursday 2nd May, will be raising funds specifically to tackle the problem of holiday hunger.
With the cost-of-living crisis still impacting the UK’s most vulnerable families, the charity says that 72% of parents they spoke to expect to go into debt to cope with the added financial pressure of the summer holidays.
Parents struggling to provide hot meals
Paula Graves from Centre 56, a Liverpool charity supporting families and children who suffer domestic abuse, said:
"Summer holidays, I find, is a period of dread for some families which is an awful shame.
"It's because they have to think that they've got the children (at) home all day, so they've got to think how am I going to entertain them? You've got the extra expense of heating, gas, electric.
"A lot of the children that we support would usually access free school meals and breakfast clubs all linked to the schools and then during that six-week holiday, the parents have then got to find the additional cash to feed the children.
"Am I going to eat myself?"
"I've had families come to me and say 'that's when I have to make the most difficult choices. Am I going to eat myself? I'll have to save some of the food I've got to feed my children first.'
"Parents get really upset. They'll have guilt about the situation, they'll get upset and then the children don't want to see their parents upset like that and feel almost like they're to blame.
"They'll put in the testimonials that they have to all sleep in the same bed so they're only doing one wash a week, rather than having to wash three beds.
"To me, when I read things like that, I think they've got to make these decisions and these choices. They seem like little things but it's how you then to have to think.
"Places like Cash for Kids - they're always there to help out. When you're applying for anything with them, it's so easy as well. Numerous parents come to me and say 'I don't know what we'd have done (without them), they're an absolute lifeline."
Others revealed that they had seen family units break down because of the stress and that children had resorted to stealing from their peers or shops because they believed they were helping their parents.
Sally Aitchison MBE, Managing Director of Cash For Kids said:
"What we have heard loud and clear from the results of this survey is just how hard families are still finding it to fund the basics and how much they are dreading the approaching summer holidays.
"What should be six weeks of fun, family bonding and a chance to for children to regroup before the start of a school year, is in fact an anxiety filled time of worry for many parents and children alike.
"We’re so grateful to everyone that is supporting Cash for Kids Day this year - their generosity gives us the chance to make a huge difference to the children we help."
Cash for Kids Day is coming on Thursday 2nd May 2nd to support schemes and organisations that are tackling holiday hunger.