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Press Release

40 per cent of young families at 'breaking point'

15 November 2011

40 per cent of parents with children under five have felt at 'breaking point' because of the stress and strains of family life, according to a YouGov Survey commissioned by leading family support charity Home-Start UK. And 63% acknowledge that their stress can damage their relationship with their children, with 93% understanding the impact this could have on their children's future mental and physical wellbeing.

The survey findings come at a time when the demand for Home-Start volunteers to provide families with practical and emotional support is greater than ever before. Home-Start's Director for Fundraising and Communications, Vivien Waterfield says: "Every year 35,000 families who feel they have nobody to turn to are turning to us for help as they face crises such as poverty and isolation. We support almost 73,000 vulnerable children across the UK and our services are being stretched. In some parts of the country we just cannot keep up with demand.

"We believe that there are an unacceptable number of families at breaking point and, without the funding we need, we are forced to turn away potential volunteers because we simply do not have the money to train them. And the inevitable consequence is that struggling families and vulnerable children are left without much needed support."

The survey confirms that 67% of parents with children under five understand the negative effect their money worries and family problems can have on their children. It marks the launch of Home-Start's "Childhood Starts Now" campaign (www.reachthechild.org.uk) to raise funds to help it continue its work with the UK's families at breaking point.



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