2024年返校成本调查报告

BarnardosIrelandbarnardos.ie4 Christchurch SquareDublin 8, D08 DT63Table of contentsIntroductionMethodologyProfile of parentsBack to school costs-Paying for costs-Uniforms-Back to school allowance-Schoolbooksand classroomresources- Digital tools- Voluntary contributions- School tours and extra-curricularactivitiesConclusion and recommendations Page 1 of 19020303040508111314151618 BarnardosIrelandbarnardos.ie4 Christchurch SquareDublin 8, D08 DT631.IntroductionFor 20 years, Barnardos has highlighted the costs incurred by parents in preparingtheir children to return to school each September, reporting on the pressuresparents are directly experiencing in providing for back to school costs.'Government need to prevent schools from adding all these extra costs onfamilies. A right to free education isn't happening.' (Primary school parent)Although the Irish Constitution guarantees all children have a right to freeeducation in Ireland, this has never truly been the case. In Budget 2023, theGovernment took a progressive step towards making it a reality by providing freeschoolbooks to all primary school students and the junior cycle in secondaryschool. However, despite this development, school expenses remain high formany parents, with some finding themselves in financial distress each summer asthey try to meet back to school costs.'A basic need and right of children shouldn’t be crippling families across thenation in order to care for their educational wellbeing.' (Secondary school'Education is supposed to be free and it is not there are constant fee requestsfrom the school it’s too much pressure.' (Secondary school parent)It is important the Government continues the positive momentum and builds onrecent actions to provide a truly free education to all children in Ireland. Barnardoscalls on the government to prioritise these five steps:1. Extend free schoolbooks to all children in the senior cycle2. Mandate all schools have an affordable uniform option3. Increase back to school allowance increase and expand eligibility4. Increase capitation rate and end voluntary contributions5. Reduce the cost of digital devices schools place on parents. Page 2 of 19parent) BarnardosIrelandbarnardos.ie4 Christchurch SquareDublin 8, D08 DT632.MethodologyEach year, Barnardos undertakes an online survey of parents to find out the coststhey will incur for their child returning to education in September. A link to thesurvey is shared with the public and our supporters1through various channels,including the media, email and social media.This year the survey was live from the 19thJune to the 20thJuly inclusive. A total ofover 900 responses were received. These responses represented the costsassociated with 500 primary school pupils and 410 secondary school students.The costs examined in the survey comprise the basics required for returning toschool, such as schoolbooks, school uniforms, classroom resources, digitaltechnology and voluntary contributions, as well as school tours and trips.3.Profile of RespondentsSurvey respondents came from a cross-section of Irish society, with arepresentative geographic spread. Respondents covered all classes and yearswithin the primary and secondary school cycles2.-The majority of survey respondents described themselves as beingmothers (92%), while 6% described themselves as being fathers, 1%described themselves as being grandmothers and an additional 1% wereother relatives or carers.-24% of parents said they were in receipt of the Back to School Clothing andFootwear Allowance3.-Parents from every county across the country responded to the survey,with approximately half (62%) describing themselves as living in urban areas1Individuals who have agreed to receive information from the organisation.2The profile of respondents was found to closely match the general population for most areas, suchas employment, educational attainment and family composition.3Criteria set out hereBack to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (citizensinformation.ie) Page 3 of 19 Barnardosbarnardos.ie4 Christchurch SquareDublin 8, D08 DT63and the remaining 38% living in rural areas.-Almost three-quarters of parents (73%) were either in full time or part timework. Just under one in seven (13%) described themselves as homemakers,3% as full or part-time carers, 2% as unable to work, 2% as students and justunder 3% as being unemployed.-64% of parents said they were married, 9% were cohabiting with partnersand 21% were lone parent families.-The children of the parents who responded to the survey attended an evenmix of all school classes and years across primary and secondary school,and attended the full range of schools, with approximately 23% in (DEIS)schools4.-Of the secondary school parents who filled out the survey 46% said theyhad one child in school, 36% had two, 14% three and 4% had four or more.For primary school parents the numbers were 32% with one child, 47% withtwo, 16% three and 5% four or more.4.Back to School Cost