A survey conducted by Unicef UK has revealed that millions of parents in Britain are grappling with mental health issues, particularly those on lower incomes, due to factors such as the rising cost of living, lack of childcare, and reduced support services.
Key findings from the survey of 2,661 parents with children aged four and under include:
Mental Health Concerns: 61% of respondents expressed concerns about their mental health, with many reporting feeling overwhelmed (49%), anxious (43%), unsupported (36%), or lonely (26%) for a significant portion of the past year.
Challenges of Parenting: 70% of parents with babies and young children believe that being a parent in Britain is getting harder every year, and 70% feel it is more challenging than it was for their parents’ generation.
Reasons for Parenting Challenges: The rising cost of living was cited as the most common reason for the increased difficulty of parenting (83%). Other factors included a lack of childcare (68%), less quality time with children (64%), and fewer local support services (41%). Housing costs (78%) and the impact of social media (75%) were also mentioned as contributing to the challenges.
Government Support: 68% of respondents believed that the government was not doing enough to support parents of young children.
Work-Life Balance: 30% of parents reported working longer hours in the past year due to increased financial pressures, leading to less time for reading, playing, and preparing healthy meals with their children (37%).
Inequalities: The survey highlighted significant inequalities, with 94% of the poorest households reporting that the cost of living crisis had negatively affected family life, compared to 78% of all parents with young children.
Jon Sparkes, the chief executive of Unicef UK, emphasized the importance of access to essential services such as maternity care, health visits, mental health support, affordable childcare, and assistance for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to alleviate the struggles faced by families.
Sparkes also called for urgent government action to address gaps in support and prevent the deepening of inequalities in children’s lives.
The findings underscore the need for comprehensive support systems to help parents navigate the challenges of raising children in today’s environment.
