Charity warns of ‘devastating impact’ of loneliness on parents and children
One in four mothers and fathers say that they have often felt isolated from friends since becoming a parent for the first time.
Parenthood leaves many mothers and fathers feeling lonely or “cut off” from family and friends, according to a poll.
As well as feeling isolated themselves, many parents worry that their children are suffering from loneliness, it suggests.
Action for Children, which commissioned the survey, said that loneliness can have a “devastating impact” on children and families.
And one in four (25.1%) said they have often felt cut off from friends and other support since becoming a parent for the first time, with 8.9% saying they always feel this way.
One mother, Haley Minns, 34, from Hunstanton, Norfolk, said that becoming a parent was a “totally different experience to what I expected”.
“I’d thought I would be at my happiest, but actually it was so hard. I couldn’t get out the house because I was so anxious,” she said.
“All my friends had babies at the same time, but to me, it felt like they were all doing better than me and I just shut myself off.”
More than two in five (43.8%) say they sometimes worry that their children are lonely, with a further 16.4% saying they often worry about this.
The survey was conducted to mark the launch of the charity’s month-long partnership with the Jo Cox Commission on loneliness.
“Now is the time to raise the volume on this issue and ensure much-needed research, funding and support is put in place. Whilst part of the solution lies with funders and policy makers, there is a role for every one of us in addressing this epidemic in our communities.”
:: The Survation poll questioned 2,087 UK parents between September 8-15.
