'Unacceptable' numbers of parents at breaking point
Neil Puffett
Monday, November 14, 2011
Four out of 10 parents with children under five have felt at "breaking point'" because of the stress and strains of family life, a survey by charity Home-Start UK has found.
Commissioned by the family support charity, the survey of 1,201 parents with children under the age of five, found that 63 per cent of parents with under-fives acknowledge that stress can damage their relationship with their children.
A total of 93 per cent said they understand the impact this could have on their children’s future mental and physical wellbeing.
Home-Start said the findings come at a time when the demand for its volunteers, who provide families with practical and emotional support, is greater than ever.
Vivien Waterfield, Home-Start’s director for fundraising and communications, said: "Every year 35,000 families that feel they have nobody to turn to are turning to us for help as they face crises such as poverty and isolation.
"We support almost 73,000 vulnerable children across the UK and our services are being stretched. In some parts of the country we just cannot keep up with demand.
"We believe that there are an unacceptable number of families at breaking point and, without the funding we need, we are forced to turn away potential volunteers because we simply do not have the money to train them. And the inevitable consequence is that struggling families and vulnerable children are left without much needed support."
The survey coincides with the launch of Home-Start’s Childhood Starts Now campaign to raise funds to help it continue its work with families at breaking point.
