Schoolchildren’s summer holidays put many disadvantaged families into even more dire financial straits.
"The summer holidays further highlight the differences between families, when it is impossible to arrange trips or visits to amusement parks for your own child if there is even a shortage of food," said Anna Puusniekka, a parenting support expert at the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL).
Aino Sarkia, a senior advisor on family poverty at Save the Children Finland, sees the situation of low-income families in Finland as very worrying.
"The social security cuts, which have hit many families and made it difficult to cope with everyday life, are having a strong impact," she told the Finnish news agency STT.
Save the Children receives inquiries related to food aid throughout the year, but concerns about both food and activities become more evident in contacts with families during the summer holidays.
During the summer, the MLL also receives direct requests for financial help, for example to obtain a child's bicycle or support a hobby, but also for food, Puusniekka said. Some parents or guardians tell the organisation that they only have enough food for the next few days.
Puusniekka points to government moves such as the tightening of housing benefit eligibility as a clear factor in families’ financial distress.
According to both experts, summer holidays cause worry and anxiety for many parents. When children are on vacation, combining childcare and work may seem impossible. In addition to the stress of practical arrangements, many parents may experience guilt and inadequacy for not being able to provide a meaningful summer vacation.
Social media raises expectations
"Children have a lot of expectations for the summer holidays, stemming from conversations with friends and through their social media feeds, for example," Sarkia said.
Many youngsters basically remain confined to home for the summer, resulting in feelings of loneliness and being left out.
Save the Children offers summer holiday activities for children, for example, and parents can turn to MLL for support. Many municipalities, parishes and sports clubs also offer free activities, including summer camps.
To help with acute food insecurity in children, many cities offer free hot park lunches for youngsters. Park meals are organised in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere and Oulu, for example.
For the first time since 2009, Espoo is offering free hot lunches to anyone under the age of 16 in five parks during July.
Schools re-open on 6 or 7 August in most cities.
