Children’s charity Barnardos is urging the Government to implement various measures to ease the burden of back-to-school costs on parents. These include a voluntary contribution code of practice, expanding the free book scheme to all secondary school students, affordable uniform options, increased back-to-school allowances for low-income parents, and a digital education fund for families to access necessary technology.
Barnardos conducted a survey with 910 respondents, representing 500 primary school students and 410 secondary students. The findings revealed that 51% of primary school parents and 70% of secondary school parents are concerned about meeting back-to-school expenses. The average cost for uniforms was reported as €119 for primary students and €211 for secondary students.
CEO Suzanne Connolly emphasized the need for further government intervention to alleviate financial strain on families during the back-to-school period, despite positive reforms in recent years. Barnardos is calling for more action to ensure that back-to-school costs are affordable for all parents.