CHILDREN in Hospital Ireland published its pre-Budget submission today,calling on the Government to introduce a new social protection payment to assist parents with the non-medical financial costs of caring for a child in hospital.
Parents with children in hospital face a range of non-medical costs, as revealed by Children in Hospital Ireland’s 2020 study Childhood Illness, Financial Stress. Costs include travel, accommodation, parking, food, laundry, and childcare for other children. According to Children in Hospital Ireland, parents may spend up to €150 extra per day during their child’s hospitalisation.
Anna Gunning, CEO Children in Hospital Ireland, said “Parents assume a crucial role in the care team of the sick child and are required to spend lengthy periods in the hospital. This has significant financial consequences. Parents are taking on added expenses, whilst also finding it very difficult to engage in paid employment. We are particularly concerned about the impact on parents whose child requires long-term hospitalisation and/or repeated visits, as they are likely to be the most impacted”
One-third of parents surveyed by Children in Hospital Ireland had given up work to care for their sick child. A majority reported a negative financial impact and concerns about their finances due to their child being in hospital.
Children in Hospital Ireland believe that a new social protection payment is necessary. The current supports available are limited and fail to account for the unique and complex challenges arising from a child’s hospitalisation.
Anna Gunning added, “Children in Hospital Ireland is proposing a payment to assist parents whose children spend a prolonged period in hospital or who require frequent hospital attendances. This payment would go some way to address the financial hardship faced by parents and would acknowledge the critical role they play in caring for their sick child”.
“The cost of this payment to the Exchequer would be minimal, but it would be transformative for parents. Only a small minority of the total number of children who receive hospital care each year have prolonged stays or require repeat attendances”
