Government refusing to feed hungry kids again

[noblegiraffe]

The new government food strategy out today should have included a plan to extend free school meals to all families on Universal Credit, as recommended by the review of the school system, and as requested by the teaching and head teaching unions among other educational professionals www.schoolfoodmatters.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Education%20letter%202022.pdf

It didn't.

Child poverty is at 30%, free school meal provision 22.5%, so there are children going hungry and this situation will only get worse with the cost of living crisis.

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/heads-deeply-disappointed-lack-free-school-meal-extension

Don't worry about MPs going hungry though, with their subsidised restaurants and generous food allowance.

www.opendemocracy.net/en/food-poverty-parliament-mps-taxpayers-cost-of-living-subsidies/?saved

"Taxpayers have forked out £17m to subsidise bars and restaurants in the House of Commons over just three years, openDemocracy can reveal.

MPs have enjoyed cut-price meals, with the average cost of food in the Members’ Dining Room reduced by more than £1 between 2018 and 2021.

In fact, politicians could have a full three-course meal at the restaurant for as little as £10.41 last year."

Anyone else think that money could be better spent elsewhere?

@noblegiraffe we revive a small amount of universal credit, it helps a tiny bit with the £70 a day nursery fees we pay for one child to do 9-5. We do not need free school meals. It is hugely patronising to assume that children growing up in these homes are hungry. I’d guess the majority of children in homes that receive UC are perfectly well fed.

Yes, they should put feeding their children ahead of these things. The poster above who says she pays £7 per fortnight to get her eyebrows done, but uses a food bank, should be thoroughly ashamed.

Why should I be ashamed? My son is well fed, well cared for. Loved so very much with me. Something that wouldn't happen if I really did break down and couldn't care for him anymore.

He has all his food wants and needs. He has private swim lessons. He goes on holiday, helped pay for by a very generous charity called Family Fund
.
I've used food banks about 2 times in the last 2 years. For myself, so I have something substantial in the cupboards and it takes a bit of worry off at those times.

I donate myself, quite generously, when things are better.

£7 a fortnight on my eyebrows makes me feel human. Not something you feel much of when you get 2 hours sleep and have medical problems of your own. Stressed beyond belief with nobody to turn to for practical support really, as my son's care needs mean family now keep us at arms length. Do you have any idea how any of that feels?

It is hugely patronising to assume that children growing up in these homes are hungry. I’d guess the majority of children in homes that receive UC are perfectly well fed.

And yet the food strategy advisor to the government and the headteachers' and teachers' unions have all asked the government to do this.

Why do you think that is, if there is zero need for it?

Perhaps ask the people who posted insisting that they are all feckless arseholes, giraffe.

Why would I be interested in their opinion on anything?

Giraffe - I pointed out that it is hugely offensive for them to make stupid generalisations seeped in prejudice. You made a snappy retort to me when I pointed this out then tell me you’re not interested. Sorry but I’ve no idea what you do want, then.

You seem to be suggesting that there isn't a need for FSM provision to be extended. They are suggesting there isn't a need for FSM provision to be extended.

The people in the OP say there is a need for it to be extended. Why would they be saying that if there wasn't a need?

Giraffe - I was taking issue with the posters claiming that those in need of FSM are in need because they are feckless. Why do you have a problem with that? Genuine question.

I actually didn’t get roped into the whole FSM debacle because IMO it is extremely poorly understood on here. No one can distinguish between a family living in chaos and a family surviving on a low income and as such the threads quickly turn into unpleasant remarks from one side as we have already seen about lip fillers and alcohol and from the other, hand wringing about starving children.

Low income families should be supported and FSM are one of the ways we ensure that parents don’t have to worry about finding money for lunch or preparing sandwiches etc.

But. Most families on low incomes will not routinely starve their children. They may go without themselves, they may serve food that isn’t very nutritious (because nourishing food can be costly) and they may not risk serving food the child may not like because of costs, meaning the child may have a limited diet. None of that is good, but I do find it irritating beyond belief when ‘ordinary’, albeit low-income households, are lumped into the same category as chaotic ones.

I've just read the 'publicly shamed'comment.

Jesus wept.

I'll get the tar, you get the feathers. Someone else source the stocks.

It IS chaotic to go without, to eat crap, to prepare crap every day. Chaos caused by the poverty trap. Its not OK for women to be half starving to feed their children. Its not some game of the deserving poor. There is a reason why the most commonly committed female crime is shoplifting and the most commonly stolen products are sanitary products, treats and razors.
It's fucking disgusting that this happens and that poverty is minimised as long as women obediently self sacrifice..

I don’t think it is OK @Piggywaspushed but I refute that schools are populated with starving (in its literal sense) children. And you may not have meant it in the way you did but that wasn’t an entirely pleasant post.

Not running down those you purport to support is generally conducive.

I don't understand your final sentence.

It wasn't meant to be pleasant. I'm furious.

Not sure there is a literal definition of starving. Besides which, I referred to the mothers, not the children, as half starving . The children are malnourished. Don't tell me they aren't. The NHS is reporting increases in malnutrition.

From the letter in the OP

"However, the intensifying cost of living crisis means many more are now struggling to afford school lunches. We are seeing children falling into school meal debt, and there is a serious threat to take-up of school meals and the viability of the catering service, not to mention risking the health and wellbeing of our pupils. We see the devastating reality of children coming to school unable to afford to buy lunch, because their family circumstances mean they fall outside the restrictive free school meal eligibility criteria. The Food Foundation’s latest data indicate an estimated 2.6 million children live in households that missed meals or struggled to access healthy food during April. Excluding so many vulnerable children is a real barrier to learning and must be urgently addressed."

Signed by

Geoff Barton, General Secretary, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretaries, National Education Union (NEU)
Dr Nicholas Capstick, Principal of Drove Primary School, and CEO of White Horse Federation Trust and Chair, School Food Review Working Group
Leora Cruddas, CEO, Confederation of School Trusts (CST)
Russell Hobby, CEO, Teach First
Emma Knight, CEO, National Governance Association (NGA)
Christina McAnae, General Secretary, Unison
Stephen Morales, CEO, Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL)
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT
Steve Taylor, Chair, Queen Street Group and CEO, Cabot Learning Federation
Paul Whiteman, General Secretary, National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)

So are we not getting the food vouchers for this summer holiday? Has that ended now?

The holiday activities and food programme has been extended for 3 years/

Incidentally, the Lords have been claiming about the quality of the subsidised food that they get on top of £323 per day attendance allowance.

"One peer grumbled: “There are only so many smoked salmon or prawn and crayfish salads one can take week after week.

“Both the Chardonnay and the Sauvignon Blanc are really poor quality... Can something be done?”

www.opendemocracy.net/en/exclusive-house-of-lords-complaints-food-drink-taxpayer-subsidised/

I am totally in favour of them being subject to the same food standards and portions as school canteens, or even better, prisons. It may be the fastest way to improve things.

Hmm. Paying for private lessons instead of food is, again, really not suggesting poverty.

Is there anyone posting here who’s going without luxuries entirely?

She said they were private swimming lessons for her very disabled son. Do you have any idea how hard it is to access small group or 1-to-1 sports or leisure activities for children with SN? Do you think local authorities lay these things on much? Or do you think disabled DC don’t deserve exercise opportunities? What exactly is it you do think?

Can you even define povertynotKevin?

Apparently rickets is back. It makes me sick and ashamed.

Exactly. Just because you receive UC doesn’t mean your kids are going hungry. So it’s a bit nuts to post that “government refuses to feed hungry kids” when that’s not in fact what’s happening at all.

when that’s not in fact what’s happening at all.

I refer you again to the letter signed by education leaders.

Hmm. Paying for private lessons instead of food is, again, really not suggesting poverty.

The private swim lessons are from his DLA. As I said previously, more than once, when I used the food bank it was for me to be able to eat something substantial

So yes, I will spend the DLA money on his private swim lessons as that's what it's for - His needs. Not mine

Seems I'm doing exactly what a few posters shout about, spending money meant for him on exactly that, but that isn't good enough either? I give up

On a separate note, For anyone interested, I sent a link of this thread to the lady I know in our local community who helps with the food bank

She is appalled people would deny any child a decent meal, no matter their circumstances behind their parents not having enough cash to feed them.

Separate to my own issue here, I am so shocked people would see a child go hungry just because in some situations, their parents could have spent their money on feeding them better.

I'm surprised anyone would be okay with a child going hungry if they could possibly help at all