Feeling lonely as a parent doesn’t mean you have to be alone. One charity out there aims to support families in such need.
We all know that it’s not always easy being a parent. It brings many new and exciting yet downright scary experiences. But with all the challenges parenthood brings, do any of us consider loneliness as one of the most common challenges?
A lot of us might think loneliness is a problem mainly affecting the elderly. (Think those Help the Aged Christmas campaigns.) But recent studies carried out show that new parents can be just as, if not more, susceptible to feelings of loneliness than most people in their age group.
Surprising results
Action for Children, a charity that supports disadvantaged children across the UK, recently polled over 2,000 parents. Astonishingly they found that half of them had experienced problems with loneliness since becoming a parent. One in five of the parents polled had suffered from loneliness in the past week.
The report said that, “There is a lack of data on the scale of loneliness in people under 50, and this is something that needs to be addressed. There are many studies that show the devastating impact loneliness can have on children, young people and families.”
Loneliness can affect any one of us and support is available to help anybody who feels isolated.
Charity starts at home
Home-Start is one of the UK’s leading charities that offers support to families and parents through home visiting support from volunteers.
The charity is run by parents for parents, offering up to two hours a week for home visits. Plus group support, day trips and help accessing local services in your area to help improve the lives of you and your children.
Loneliness is a battle some of you might fight, but not one you have to fight alone. If you or someone you know suffers from loneliness, you can contact Home-Start on 0116 464 5490 or visit their website for further details.
