A LEADING children’s charity has heard from parents who say they are ‘drowning’ because of a lack of support for families affected by the past 18 months.

New Action for Children research shows 82 per cent of North East parents have demonstrated at least one of the warning signs that may indicate parental burnout as a result of the pandemic.

Over half of the region’s parents have struggled with anxiety, over job security and living costs.

The most common worries for North East parents are the long-term impact of the pandemic on their child’s education 33 per cent and mental health 19 per cent.

One Mum told the charity’s parenting advice service Parent Talk: ‘I feel like I’m crumbling under the pressure and I’ve lost count how many times I’ve cried over the past weeks.

"I don’t know what to do and I hate myself but I feel like just walking out of the door and not coming back.’

North East parents admit to struggling with at least one of the warning signs that may indicate parental burnout – a condition identified as ‘a prolonged response to chronic and overwhelming parental stress’ – as a result of the pandemic.

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That’s according to new research with over 2,000 UK parents by Action for Children, which lays bare the impact that the past 18 months has had on millions of families across the UK.

The charity is calling on the government to urgently increase the support available for parents and carers before problems escalate in homes or schools – a situation which could lead to potentially significant, yet avoidable, costs for public services.

The charity’s own parenting helpline, Parent Talk, offers free, online advice and one to one chats with trained advisers.

It has helped nearly 10,000 parents through one-to-one chats in the last year and has seen a sharp rise in parents seeking help with the most severe issues since the start of the pandemic.

Lynn Giles, Parent Talk Manager at Action for Children, said: "Every day Parent Talk hears heart-breaking stories of children struggling with their mental health, education, development – the list is endless and these issues are hurting not only newborn children but teenagers as well.

"The Parent Talk team is there for the growing numbers of parents and carers that need help."

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