‘Universal and targeted support is crucial in alleviating the pressures of the cost of living crisis’

The cost of living crisis is putting the wellbeing and development of children and young people at serious risk, says the Nuffield Foundation.

A report published by the social wellbeing charity has reviewed the evidence of the changing nature of parenting children under five. The findings have revealed the extent of pressure that has fallen on the shoulders of parents over the last few years.

Combining research from over 100 studies, the report found that material factors such as poverty, the work-life balance, and inadequate housing have all influenced the care parents are able to provide and have consequently impacted children’s development and wellbeing. To counter this effect, the Nuffield Foundation has said that while parenting educational programmes are effectual, they must be combined with action from policymakers to reduce the broader socioeconomic burdens on families.

Rises in poverty and poor accommodation will have significant long-term consequences unless action is taken

Over the last few years, the pressures of poverty have directly affected the lives of children through constraints on parents’ ability to afford the basics of food and housing, even before the substantial current economic stresses.

It was found that:

• More than one in three children and families (36%) were living in poverty before the cost of living crisis.
• One in four children begins their education while living in overcrowded privately rented housing.

Researchers identified that multiple economic pressures have compounded to impact the mental health of parents. The Covid-19 pandemic is a significant key factor in this downward spiral, with inter-parental conflict evident in 70% of families with young children.

The review concluded that parenting programmes positively support parents in improving parenting skills and improving the home learning environment. However, these efforts to improve these skills are, unsurprisingly, less likely to succeed if not combined with efforts to reduce pressures on families, such as through improving household incomes.

Carey Oppenheim, Early Childhood Lead at the Nuffield Foundation and co-author of the report, said that universal and targeted support is necessary to close the disadvantage gap and improve early life outcomes for children.

She added:

“Parenting matters. Government initiatives to create a network of family hubs, Best Start for Life and investment in parenting programmes are important steps in the right direction. However, parenting programmes form only one component of the support parents need. The Covid-19 crisis and the cost of living crisis have made it even more crucial that families with young children are also given more fundamental support in terms of improved access to mental health services, boosted family incomes and improvements to the physical environments in which children are raised.”