Back to school should be time of hope, not more financial pressure – we must lose hidden cost of kids' ‘free' education

The Irish Sun

3 days ago

Parents discussed cutting back on essentials or leaving utility bills unpaid to meet costs
SUNDAY ISSUE Back to school should be time of hope, not more financial pressure – we must lose hidden cost of kids' 'free' education
A NEW report this week revealed how parents are going into debt ahead of the return to school.
A study from children's charity Barnardos found 27 per cent of ­secondary school parents have turned to rainy day funds to meet costs.
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Barnardos CEO Suzanne ­Connolly said that 'no parent should face financial pressure'
Credit: Barnardos
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And the average cost of sending a child back to school can range from €424 to more than €970
Credit: Getty
A further 14 per cent of those with primary school kids used savings out of desperation.
Barnardos CEO Suzanne ­Connolly said: 'No parent should face stress and financial pressure to ensure their child has all they need to start.'
Parents discussed cutting back on essentials or leaving utility bills unpaid to meet costs.
The report found half of primary and 60 per cent of secondary parents are worried about meeting expenses this year.
Today, the Social Democrats' education spokesperson Jen Cummins says the Government must remove the hidden costs of sending our children to school.
AUGUST brings with it a mix of anticipation and reality for families across Ireland.
There's a special kind of energy in the air, the smell of new books, the sharp corners of fresh copies, the excitement of meeting friends and teachers again.
As a mother of four children, I know this season well.
I know the thrill of a new school year, and I know the struggle it brings too — the shoes that don't fit, the routines that haven't settled, the lunch boxes packed in a half-asleep daze.
Back-to-school season should be one of hope, but for far too many families, it's a time of stress and financial pressure — and that isn't right.
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According to Barnardos, the average cost of sending a child back to school can range from €424 for a child in Senior Infants to more than €970 for a child starting secondary school.
These figures are staggering — what's worse is that these are not costs for extras, they are for essentials: uniforms, books, lunches, transport.
Things every child should have access to, without ­question.
IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES
It's unacceptable that so many parents are forced to make impossible choices just to get their children through the school gates in September — what message does that send to our children?
That education is a privilege, not a right? That some children will start on the back foot through no fault of their own?
My doctoral research explored why young people disengage from school.
And what I found, through conversations with those who left the system early, was that many were not failed by their own abilities, but were failed by the system.
They were failed by schools that didn't recognise trauma, by services that didn't intervene early enough and by policies that failed to protect the most vulnerable. Going back to school should be a fresh start for every child — it should mean inclusion, safety and opportunity.
For some, the school day may be the only time they have structure, a meal or a reliable adult presence, and that means we need to do better.
We need to fully fund school equipment, such as tablets — no child should be without the materials they need to learn.
We must remove the so-called 'voluntary' school contributions and expand access to free school meals and transport.
These are not radical ideas, they are common sense. They are the basics.
We also need trauma-informed schools that recognise and respond appropriately to each child and their unique set of circumstances — that was a key takeaway from my research.
The reasons young people disengage from school are layered and complex, so we need systems that are responsive and compassionate.
For families, September brings pressures, such as juggling childcare, work, after-school activities and homework.
HIDDEN COSTS
It's a heavy mental load, especially for parents trying to hold everything together on tight margins.
We need policies that reflect this reality, with flexibility, support and an understanding that the home-school relationship must be built on partnership, not pressure.
The cost-of-living crisis has presented families with financial challenges on all fronts, from housing costs to grocery bills. An education system that is meant to be free should not be adding to that pressure.
The Government must get real about removing the ­hidden costs of sending our children to school to get the education they have every right to — without incurring costs that could land their household in financial ­difficulties.
Education is about more than grades, it's about giving children a place where they feel seen, valued and safe.
It's about creating the conditions for learning — not just academically, but socially and emotionally, too.
When we get that right, we lay the foundations for a fairer, stronger and more compassionate society — because every child deserves to walk through the school gates with pride and with possibility.