MORE than half of Scots with children under five are struggling financially or with their mental health, a leading world charity has claimed.
A poll by Unicef showed 200,000 parents with young kids are suffering and a quarter can’t get professional support. Some 61 per cent parents say their mental health has been impacted and 63 per cent have been affected by the rising cost of living. They cite a lack of support as a key factor to their problems.
About a third said they battle to see a health care professional when their child is unwell, with services stretched after the pandemic. The poll found more than one in 20 parents in Scotland skip meals to pay for childcare. Almost half have cut electricity and gas usage, with more than one in 10 unable to properly heat their home. And today the UK Committee for Unicef warned that the nation’s parents and carers need more government help.
Chief Jon Sparkes said: “We need to act now to support families and protect children’s futures.”
Minister for children Clare Haughey said: “We are doing what we can to help families.”
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