Overview

• The share of parents worried they cannot meet essentials such as housing, heating, clothing and food rose to 25 percent, up from 15 percent in January.
• Concern is concentrated among vulnerable groups, with 57 percent of households under €3,000 net and 42 percent of single parents expressing fear, compared with 10 percent in households earning €4,500 or more.
• Nearly half of lower‑income families report forgoing holidays, restaurant visits, children's hobbies or new furniture, and about one fifth of affected children show signs of emotional stress.
• Roughly three quarters say federal plans to fight child poverty fall short, while parents prioritize more investment in education and an expansion of childcare alongside better financial support.
• Save the Children calls for simpler access to benefits, a recalculated child subsistence level and stronger mental‑health services for children; Forsa polled about 1,000 parents by telephone from mid‑July to mid‑August.