Can a school help a parent in financial difficulty

[imnotareindeer]

There's a family at school I know they are having a hard time financial and emotionally , and I don't mean just buying Xmas gifts, if I raise with pastoral team at school what help can they offer? Or is this pointless? Will they get bothered if I say something. It's not neglect. I can't help them myself and our kids aren't really that friendly. I know maybe some other parents might help out, but it's hard as I'm sure others have issues we don't know about so tricky to ask.

They could refer to a food bank I think ? Other similar things too I imagine.

They can refer to sources of financial and practical support.

School can make a referral to the food bank or NSPCC

They can do food parcels as well as food bank referrals as others have mentioned. Some have workers who can help with benefits etc
Some may be able to refer to charities for help with uniform/clothing/white goods etc School can refer to early help if there are other issues but probably can't provide grants/loans themselves.

There are quite a few charities who offer grants etc. You're probably better googling what might be available locally. You also need to ask yourself if this family would want the school knowing their situation.

Referral to a food bank, turning a 'blind eye' to dinner money account balances, helping with uniform or access to activities/trips, potentially support from other services depending upon the reason for the difficulties, somebody for the children to talk to - lots of things.

Contact the DSL, as they'll have the best knowledge of what's available.

We have access to fuel vouchers, food bank referrals, sanitary protection and have a stock of shower gels, deodorant etc. We keep a stock of good second hand clothing (not just uniform) particularly coats.
Our parish church also supports our families as we are a faith academy.

Does the school employ a family worker?

Mine, and many in the area (though it was a town with a fair bit of deprivation) did, and families having problems could go to her and she could signpost or refer them to organisions who could help (and she would often help them full in forms for benefits that they needed to claim). It was a lot easier I think for them to approach her than to share their problems with their child's teacher.

But again, be sensitive. It's possible that the family wouldn't be happy with their business being known at school.

It's possible that the family wouldn't be happy with their business being known at school

If it's affecting the children, which it sounds as though it is, it's better for the issues to be known whether the family like it or not. They can reject help if offered it, but they can't be offered it in the first place if nobody knows - and whilst the OP might think it's nothing 'bad', there might be other things going on that she doesn't know about that can't be uncovered if the DSL and other services are unaware of any problems at all.

I'm part of secondary PTA -- there's a lot of support at our school, a hardship fund. With Christmas presents for the children, uniform, getting back to financial stability, etc. Some of our fund raising helps to pay for these things.

They can signpost them to local support groups and food banks

As a retired teacher I cannot count the times the teachers themselves have put their hands in their pockets for kids and families. Some children would go hungry, go without uniform, school trips, even basic pens and PE kit f it were not for teachers quietly funding these things.

Tell the school.

@WayneKorr

They can signpost them to local support groups and food banks

Does signpost mean tell them about what's availble or is there more to it?

It's a kind thought OP, you won't know what the specific school can do until you ask them so I'd say go ahead

@SirensofTitan sorry for the late reply, they can contact the various agencies on your behalf if that's what the parent/carer wants or give you the information so that you can contact them themselves

*yourself

The school's Family Liaison Officer would be able to signpost the family various organisations that could help, including food banks, baby banks, clothes banks etc..

The children would be , if they aren't already, eligible for Pupil Premium which would entitle the children to receive free school meals.

I sent an email over to the school office, I'm not expecting a reply but they never do.

@imnotareindeer

I sent an email over to the school office, I'm not expecting a reply but they never do.

To be fair, they shouldn't reply. Or at least they shouldn't tell you anything about what they might do. You might get a simple 'thank you for your email, which we will look into' but that's all.

I feel a bit interfering and nervous about sending it, but if they get some help then great, if nothing happens then they are no worse off. It's a strange thing to know what to do. If I was rich, I'd prob just stick a loaded gift card for the supermarket through their door to at least help with food.

Please don't feel 'interfering and nervous'
It's lovely and concerned people like you who help to stop other folk from falling through the net.
Many others just live by the 'it's not your business' mantra which is just so very sad.

Well done OP. 💐

There are reasons people don’t ask for help, they don’t know how, don’t feel they are badly enough off, don’t want to face reality, don’t know what’s available, unable to access internet, unable to complete forms or it feels too big a challenge.

So school may well speak to them and help where they can with information and form filling.

The local school asks our Church for help with families in need. They never disclose anything, other than occasionally that they're a recently arrived refugee family who have literally nothing. We all then donate food parcels, clothes, blankets, furniture anything we can. And last year bought a load of Christmas presents too. The school then liaise with relevant charities/council etc to arrange longer term support.

We had the sad take off a 7 yo whose mum had suffered a catastrophic brain injury. He was being looked after by his elder teen brother do we and school parents rallied and bought Christmas presents/supermarket gift cards and dropped dinner off every night until eventually the boy was adopted by his mum's friend.
School will likely have second hand uniform, dinner allowances, discretion over breakfast club etc.

So, you did the right thing by telling the school and hopefully some support can kick in quickly

I’d be really annoyed if another parent told school this about me. Are you sure you have all the facts?

If the children aren’t neglected, it isn’t really any of your business.

@FrownedUpon

I’d be really annoyed if another parent told school this about me. Are you sure you have all the facts?

If the children aren’t neglected, it isn’t really any of your business.

It's not her job to investigate, but it's her responsibility to give the information she does know to the DSL so they can, as they might be suffering far more than she is aware of.

Why would you be annoyed another parent thinks you need some help? Isn’t that a kind thing to do?