UK parents reveal the 'village' needed to raise kids - as 1 in 10 have no support

UK parents reveal the 'village' needed to raise kids - as 1 in 10 have no supportMajority of parents would have been 'lost' without the help of others - but modern parents are struggling to build a 'village' around themCommentsLifestyleGemma Francis09:20, 20 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesOne in ten parents say they have no support network(Image: Getty Images)It's often said that it takes a village to raise a child – yet more than one in 10 modern parents have nobody to lean on. A survey of 1,000 mothers and fathers of children aged 10 and under revealed that 71% admitted they would have been lost without the help of others, with the average parent having five people on hand to make life easier.‌However, demanding work schedules, living too far from family members and not wishing to trouble others have all been cited as reasons why building a support network feels increasingly difficult for today's parents. Add to that friends being at different stages of life, a lack of local community spirit and shrinking family networks.‌View 3 ImagesLiving too far away from family and friends can impact support(Image: Getty Images)‌As a result, 56% turned to virtual support from online parent communities, including parenting group chats, Facebook groups and Instagram pages.Melissa Cohen, spokesperson for Vitabiotics Pregnacare, which commissioned the research, said: "Support during pregnancy and while parenting can make all the difference, but not everyone has a village around them."Many are living further away than ever from friends and family and building a village from scratch can seem like a daunting prospect. But it doesn't have to be vast, with a crowd of people around you.‌"Whether it's physical support, someone on the end of the phone or even online, it all helps to give you guidance, advice or simply just an ear when you need it."The research also revealed that parents consider fellow mums and dads who've...