Back to School Survey 2022

Abstract

A child’s right to education is enshrined in the Irish constitution. However, the substantial financial cost of sending a child to school means access to education is anything but free. For over a decade, Barnardos has highlighted the costs incurred by parents in preparing their children to return to school each September. Each year, parents describe the substantial costs imposed on them and the impact that this financial burden has on their family and household budget. Given the recent cost of living increases, it is vital now more than ever for government to set out plans to provide a truly free education to children and remove unreasonable financial pressures from struggling families across the country.