A key trend in the study is that female-led households are disproportionately more vulnerable to instability, as women are more likely to resort to trafficking and other forms of exploitation, while also working long hours. As a result, this leaves children alone for extended amounts of time. 

Save the Children reported: "There are clear indications of a disproportional impact of the crisis on households depending on demographics, particularly in households with children where women are the sole bread-winners. Households with insufficient labour contributions or inability to boost income through alternative revenue sources have struggled significantly to meet their fundamental needs."

"It is also observed that households that have managed to increase their income have failed to provide adequate childcare, thereby increasing the risk to children’s well-being, as evidenced by the fact that more children in this category have begun exhibiting signs of stress compared to children in other households."

Furthermore, the survey revealed that 70 percent of families lost all or most of their income stream between June and December of 2022. Now more than half of families attribute the majority of their income to seasonal or irregular jobs. Parents are struggling to provide for children who do not know when, or if, their next meal is coming.

"These figures show how the crisis in Sri Lanka continues to spiral out of control and how, as with any crisis, children are bearing the brunt with their physical and mental health, nutrition and education all at risk," Julian Chellappah, Save the Children's Sri Lanka Country Director, said. "These children were born into hope as the country’s post-war generation – but we are in grave danger of failing them once again."

"Parents should never have to choose who in their family gets to eat a meal. Everything we are seeing here points to a very real danger of a full-blown hunger crisis. The Sri Lankan government is giving much-needed support to some families through welfare schemes, but we need a rapid build-up of social protection systems with support from the international community. This is an emergency situation that requires an emergency response."

Sri Lanka has been in the midst of an economic crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

However, Martin Raiser, World Bank Vice President for South Asia, has vowed support for the World Bank Group in an effort to aid Sri Lanka in overcoming these economic issues, introduce lasting reforms, and achieve recovery that is both resilient and unifying, according to News Cutter.