Free school meals to go

[MsJamieFraser]

AIBU to think this is bloody shocking! For some kids is their only decent hot meal per day.

Sorry if this has been done, but I've only just found out about it, after a memo to all council housing staff stating the proposed effects on households.

Then they need to stop relying on it and provide for themselves. The meals stop after year two anyway and they would have had the same issue then.

It's easier to blame policies or the government rather than admit some parents don't want to support their families or neglect their children.

The amount wasted on this scheme could have funded more teachers, more SEN support etc. That would have been more beneficial for children than food which they would have got anyway or SS would have been called in.

i would rather the government subsidised food banks

If the government ran the country properly (ie for the benefit of all) there wouldn't be any need for food banks. They are a sticking plaster and no way address the causes.

So low income families will still get free school meals, but they are stopping the free school meals for all under 7.

I thinks that's good. Loads of councils and schools opposed it in the first place.

To be honest I have never had a child in a school that serves food you could call decent or that the children wanted to eat. Dd has been in 4 different schools....all shocking.

Ds is in reception and qualifys due to his age. He still takes a packed lunch because the quality of the food is so bad.

I'm glad it's going. We made use of it last year but it is ridiculous that high income households like us could benefit. I wish they'd pump money into encouraging secondary school students to eat healthier. The state of school meals in our local secondary schools is shocking. Teenagers are growing too. We are more likely to have a healthy adult population if we invest some money in this.

"They need to stops trying on it and provide for themselves"

This is probably the most narrow minded and idiotic post I've ever seen on here, considering we are talking about child hunger and families in financial crisis.

It was a ridiculous lib dem idea that even the children of the rich get fed! We are well rid of it.

so far as I can see from reports FSMs are not necessarily being cut in the Autumn review but being considered. Although I think not means testing them is a mistake - given that some parents can well afford to pay
Silly LDem policy that now people who did not need them are whinging because it might be removed.

itsallgoingtobefine , I totally agree but as that will never happen it's still preferable to target the help where it is most needed rather than feeding the children of higher rate tax payers .

You say 'for some children it is their only hot meal a day.'

Yet apparently this only applies to children up to the age of seven. Those who are eight, nine, ten, either miraculously access food elsewhere or they were always entitled to a free school meal.

Times are undoubtedly hard for some: just the same, schoolchildren are not starving as evidenced by the fact that many can barely fit into their uniforms.

schools trying to paper over the cracks with a free dinner.

You mean governement trying to paper over the cracks, surely? This is not a school initiative nor is it paid for by schools

I agree with you OP.

We're the 5/6th not sure which richest country in the world. We should be able to make sure all children get decent food everyday.

Everyone gets free medical care.

Why can't every small child get a free meal once a day?

I know there is an issue with families who are just over the threshold as we have been in that position ourselves, running out of money every month - in Wales there has never been a free meal for ks1 and we manage, very frugally. I wouldn't guve my dc school dinners if they were free and didn't when we lived in England. But it's ridiculous to have free meals provided for high income families.

To answer that question Bakeoff - because it's a waste of money.

Many children don't need it; many others still don't eat it.

bakeoffcake - if we are 5th richest country in the world, why can't parents pay for their own kids food? why should I, as a taxpayer, be expected to do it? I could be a very poorly paid taxpayer having to fork out for kids dinners from rich families which seems even more illogical.

I also don't understand all this fixation with a hot meal. cooking kills off lots of nutrients and its not as if schools aren't centrally heated.

would much prefer to see the money spent on good teaching and helping kids with problems learning. I've had to spend extra on out of school lessons for english (passing exams so they can go on to study/get jobs should be a much higher priority)

Yes I've already stated I do not agree with the age policy.

I disagree with your "evidence" that just because a "few children" aren't fitting into their school uniform that it means school children are not going hungry!

School children are going hungry, this is fact, for all ages, not just kids also.

I had to give a food parcel the other day to a man, as after he paid his mortgage/council tax, he was left with pennies with only a bag of rice in the whole kitchen. He had no heating or electricity either.

Why? Jist why was he in this state you ask? His wife and son were killed, he's currently on sick leave, and he can't afford all his bills and put food in his mouth. He's currently applying for HB... But 7 weeks later he's still waiting and he's paying his bills because he does not want to lose the home he shared with his wife and son.

Another one, family of 4 2 kids under 6, dad lost his council job, because of the 1% cut the government has imposed on council rents! As a housing manager he was made redundant, and has struggled to get a job since... While still trying to support his family, he needed a food bank this month as his CC company threatened court action on his morgage meaning he paid them the only money he had because he didn't want to lose his home.

This has nothing to do with the KS1 free meals, but his family will be hugely affected by it.

I agree that people who don't need it shouldn't get it, but I also disagree that just because a family are above the threshold, it does not mean they don't need it.

Everything is being cut, yet prices are still rising.

I don't think they are going to stop free school meals for foundation & KS1. As it says here - www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-34381420.

It is a manifesto commitment, so as well as taking food from little children, they'd be breaking a clear promise. I thought that the manifestos of the main parties lacked substance, so to break one of the few real commitments would look terrible.

On the other hand, I'd much prefer that they increase the FSM threshold for all other years or add to pupil premium than provide FSM for those who can afford to feed their children. DD1 has just started school and I feel a bit bad about her getting FSM as we are perfectly capable of paying for them. Perhaps we should donate the £400ish we've saved back to the school.

As you rightly say, the man in your example has nothing to do with free meals for KS1 children.

A six year old with parents earning three figures a year would be in receipt of that meal - it takes money and resources from other areas.

Your post is dripping in sentimentality but I don't see any solutions other than 'we must spend money' which I'm afraid I don't see as practical or as helpful.

I agree that it should be means tested, although I do think they should raise the criteria a little.

We struggle, a lot, and although DS2 receives the free school meal as he is in KS1, my DS1 (secondary) doesn't qualify as we get Working Tax Credit. A healthy packed lunch is a struggle for us.

Having said that, it is a priority for us that our DC eat 3 meals a day and have a healthy diet. I get a little bit tired of the assumption that if a family are struggling financially, they obviously choose to neglect their children. 'Mouldy Sandwiches' Need to stop trying it on and provide for themselves' The only hot / healthy / decent meal they get in a day

It really frustrates me, and I read / hear it a lot. Isn't just food either. As we're not well off at all, it also seems that we wouldn't bother with homework, or family time, bedtime routines & reading, or taking our children anywhere.

I'm sure that some children do have to deal with going hungry, bad meals and all the other poor parenting choices. IME, that has nothing to do with financial circumstances. Shit parenting exists in all walks of life.

dreamingofsun Well maybe we should stop give no out free pencils, paper, reading books, etc etc. they should be means tested, just like lunch so you don't have to pay for them with your taxes.

The point is, some people, me included, think a hot meal in the middle of the school day, is all part of a good education.

*giving out

No he isn't, but he's not alone, neither are school kids going Hindu which I see you've skipped that part...

I've never once said we must spend money... In saying that, what I think we must do! Is get communities together and help each other, because clearly our government are lacking in helping this growing situation! In fact they are making it worse!

About time too, it was a stupid idea in the first place. I do thing the eligibilty for FSM should be widened not free meals for all under a certain age.

I think its actually immoral for families earning 50k plus getting free meals

How on earth did Hindu get into my post, it was supposed to be, *hungry" Right in not posting on this thread until I get onto my laptop!