Struggling parents seek charity’s help with school costs

THE spiralling cost of kitting children out for the return to school is forcing parents and schools to turn to a leading charity for help.

As government figures predict that more than 250,000 children will need clothing and footwear grants this year, the St Vincent de Paul charity has said it is already getting requests from concerned parents struggling to cope.

According to Brendan Hennessy, of the charity’s social justice team, schools too were contacting the charity as a direct result of the abolition of the school book grant scheme.

“This is hitting everyone – not just those who have lost jobs,” said Mr Hennessy.

He said SVP members felt additional education charges “fly in the face of so-called free education”.

One parent cited costs for two children at second level at €1,500 to €2,000 – excluding uniforms – based on what she had received from her children’s second -level school.

“This parent said the cost of books per pupil came to €500. For any additional practical such as woodwork or art there is a €50 fee.

“There is another €100 per family for administration. Locker swipe cards were €45 and an after-school study period was €175 per term per family,” he said.

For a family whose parents were working, this was difficult enough, Mr Hennessy said. But lone parents or the less well-off who did not now get a book grant were “in despair” when they received such notices from schools.

Another area of concern, said Mr Hennessy, is that often publishers release new editions of the same book each year. “One parent compared two editions and the only difference was a change in chapter numbers – there was no change in the text,” he said.

Schools too were being directly impacted, he said.

“Schools are looking for help as a result of the budget cut on books – they need to try and a find a way to replace it,” he said.

Mr Hennessy said parents would find it very difficult to cope with large one-off payments come August and urged schools to try and spread costs over the year.

Figures from the department of Social and Family Affairs show the number of children in receipt of back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance rose from 161,000 in 2006 to over 200,000 last year.

According to the department, given increased income thresholds and the increase in the numbers on the live register, more than 250,000 children will be in need of it this year.

Expenditure on the scheme this year is expected to be €68 million.

Mr Hennessy said social welfare staff were going to be “inundated” with applications and urged families to apply early, as it can take six-eight weeks to process applications.

Applications for the allowance can be made between the beginning of June and the end of September.