Nearly two in three parents (65%) would like more financial resources to give their children greater access to courses or summer camps during the school holidays, a survey by Solidaris health insurance revealed.
This rate rises to 73% for single-parent families and 86% among disadvantaged social groups. The differences between the various family types are evident, Solidaris noted.
Solidaris surveyed nearly 1,800 individuals, including 529 parents of children with disabilities or serious illnesses. The aim was to better understand families' needs regarding the adaptation of new school schedules in French-speaking Belgium.
The survey revealed that seven in ten parents enrolled at least one child in an organised activity during the summer of 2023, but this rate drops to six in ten (61%) for parents living alone and to half of respondents among less well-off families.
Parents spend an average of €160 per child, but this varies from €193 for the better-off social groups to €106 at the other end of the spectrum. Single parents spend on average 15% less, reported Solidaris.
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The situation is more difficult for families with disabled children. Just over a third of these children took part in activities last summer. Parents who did not enrol their child in an activity cited lack of adaptation, insufficient supply and cost as the main reasons.
"Results underscore the importance of maintaining and improving access to recreational activities for all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status or disability," reported Solidaris. The fund urges an adjustment in the offering of leisure activities for families, particularly concerning cost and quality of supervision.
