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.