More than half of parents would hold back on asking for help for fear of being seen as a bad parent, according to a recent survey conducted by Home-Start UK.
In a new campaign, #RealLifeParenting, Home-Start aims to highlight the importance of early family support against a backdrop of growing pressures and anxieties created for parents by peers and being online.
The survey also revealed that 60% of parents felt pressure specifically from what they saw on social media, the portrayal of the ‘perfect parent’.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Acting CEO Vivien Waterfield said “Parenting has never been easy but with the added pressures of social media, our bad days and difficult times can seem magnified compared with the seemingly perfect families we see online”.
Most concerning was that many parents report they will wait, on average, 7 months or more before they seek help. This campaign aims to highlight the support available from the Home-Start network and help address the stigma of seeking help during difficult times.
You can find out more by visiting the Home-Start UK campaign pages here.
No child’s future should be limited. We are here when families needs us most, because childhood can’t wait.