Organisation sees a rise in parents struggling with money

One Family says it is getting an increased number of calls from parents who are struggling financially.

The organisation says one-parent families consistently have the lowest disposable income out of all households in the State.

One Family also says its helpline is receiving a higher number of calls from parents who are experiencing separation.

CEO Karen Keirnan, says parents in these families often find it hard to juggle work-life and child care arrangements.

Ms Kiernan said: "We also know that there is a lot of pressure on people to get out to work, but work/life balance has become more difficult, child care costs have certainly have not been addressed.

"We also have to be aware of and cautious of the quality of child care that is available because things are still very difficult and getting more difficult for children.

"So we need to pay attention to that and we need to keep investing in low-income families to ensure that we are not letting these children down for the future."