The case in summary One in four parents cannot afford to buy the necessary clothes and equipment for their children. Hjelperingen in Larvik reports an increase in desperate parents who cannot afford warm clothes and shoes for their children. The Salvation Army has seen an increase from 16% to 23% in the number of parents who limit the purchase of necessary equipment for their children. The wishing tree in the Porsgrunn Red Cross sees an increase in requests for warm clothes and shoes, as well as food for infants. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. The rise in prices is now causing more and more parents to drop out of buying completely basic things for their own children, according to a survey carried out by Opinion for the Salvation Army. It is noticeable in the second-hand shop and the donation reception at Hjelperingen in Larvik. They constantly talk to distraught parents, staff in nurseries and schools, who tell of children who cannot go out and play because they lack warm clothes and shoes. – There are many parents who are dismayed by the price increases, and that they themselves are less able to afford it than otherwise, says chairman Unni Elisabeth Fevang Tafjord. At Hjelperingen in Larvik, they hear many sad stories about parents who struggle to give their children the clothes they need. Photo: Theodor Aasland Valen / news She says she gets tired of hearing the stories. – It is a crisis. They are completely dependent on getting nicely used clothes that keep the children warm and that they can play outside. We hear about children who can’t go outside because they don’t have clothes to play outside. It’s really sad, and it tears at the root of the heart. Over 100,000 children currently live in families with persistently low incomes, according to Statistics Norway. Alarming reading Every quarter, the Salvation Army, through Opinion, asks a nationally representative committee about the changes in their financial situation and what consequences they have. They do this to find out more about the need for help and care in society. In the third quarter, 16 per cent answered that they now drop or limit buying clothes and the equipment the child needs. In the fourth quarter, it has increased to 23 percent. Among those with challenging finances, a full 43 percent answer the same. – It is alarming reading. We also notice this in the Salvation Army, as we distribute a record amount of clothing to the needy through Fretex, says assistant social manager in the Salvation Army, Elin Herikstad, says in the press release. Elin Herikstad is assistant social manager in the Salvation Army. Photo: The Salvation Army Throughout the animal age, they have also distributed food to families with children. Want warm clothes and shoes Although not all the wish lists have come in yet, the Wish Tree in Porsgrunn Red Cross has noticed that some wishes are recurring more often. – It is important that the children can be dry and warm through the winter, and we see that through the wishes, says Siri Løite. Siri Løite is head of the Wishing Tree in the Porsgrunn Red Cross. Photo: Bettina Olie Bjerkholdt / news There are also some who want food for infants. – Something that is sad and should be something you get on a prescription, if the situation is so difficult that you struggle to feed the children. The tight times mean that it is also more difficult to get support from outside, according to Løite. – It is much lower this year than in the past, so we are going into this time with slightly higher shoulders, if we want to be able to fulfill all the wishes we receive this year.
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More parents drop the clothes and equipment their children need – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
