“Developing a free education system will not happen overnight but the government must take the first step in creating a more equitable system,” said Suzanne Connolly, CEO, Barnardos.

“Back-to-school this week has been a really exciting time for lots of children and their parents. But for many low income and struggling households, the preparation for the new school year has been a huge source of stress and anxiety”.

“The cost of sending children back to school is crippling too many families" warns Fergus Finlay.