Increase in parents calling SVP for back-to-school support

SVP confirms stark rise in calls from parents struggling with back-to-school funds.

The charity revealed that they received almost 300 calls every day last week from parents concerned about covering back-to-school fees like books, iPads, uniforms, and the 'voluntary' school contribution fee. One of the biggest struggles for parents was being able to afford tablets and iPad for their children, which could set a family back €600-€800. SVP said this expensive is simply "impossible for struggling families to afford". According to The Irish Times, there has been a 10% increase in the number of families reaching out to the helpline for support. The news will come as no surprise to parents who are faced with the extortionate cost of sending their children to school every year. It was recently revealed that Irish parents are now spending almost €1,500 per secondary school student in their home. Speaking about the pressure parents are now facing, SVP national president Rose McGowan said the reopening of schools gives many people, especially the students themselves some normality back, but the cost alone is weighing down on far too many families. It's a "daily struggle for students from low-income families, especially if they don’t have everything they need to learn or if they feel different from their peers.” “For struggling parents, the preparation for the new school year is a huge source of stress, in particular, the anxiety associated with the prospect of requests for contributions or other expenses for extracurricular activities,” she added. SVP has called on the Government to improve the inequalities in the education system promptly and stressed that the children of Ireland deserve a free education that is actually free.