Mp’s asking for £700 for FSM children

[Struggling2020]

Thoughts on this?

news.sky.com/story/amp/coronavirus-school-closures-will-worsen-north-south-education-divide-say-mps-11980290

Maybe I’m bitter (actually I AM bitter) but it’s not just the poorest kids who are struggling. In fact my friends on full benefits are the most secure right now out of all of us, they can focus 100% of their time and attention on their kids as no work to do from home and they’re still getting FSM with no worries about losing their jobs or reduction in income, intact according to them, benefits have gone up this month. (Fully appreciate this may not be the case all round)

In my experience, It’s those of us in the squeezed middle struggling! Trying to work and homeschool, struggling financially as everyone at home for lunches as opposed to usual nursery/ks1 free lunch. Worried about our jobs and what the future holds. Many of us forced onto reduced hours.

I understand statistically that those on FSM are more likely to fall behind. But is this another way of trying to disguise the issues? Trying to fit people into boxes of how we can help. The rich will be fine, the poor will be helped, the middle will be forgotten?

I think I need perspective.... my AIBU

AIBU to think it is not just FSM children who are disadvantaged by the current situation and actually, the problem is much bigger than that?

I prefer to be annoyed an millionaires who are furloughing staff when they are able to buy yet another holiday property, sup wine at £1000 a bottle or have hobby businesses..... Or maybe I'll get annoyed at the businesses who don't pay their share of taxes... Or people who use tax avoidance schemes when they can easily pay.

I'll leave the people whose children need free school meals to get a decent meal a day alone. To get 'full benefits' the amount of income for the household is very low. The children are deprived in many ways and tend to perform poor academically. I think giving them some money for food is something I will never get annoyed at/jealous of or whatever reason people get upset with it is!

A discussion will be impossible because rather than think about it people want to ridicule the OP.
How people access help in the UK, how much the state pays, how far work or having children is incentivised or discouraged as well any perceived "fairness" (essential for a functioning consenting society) are all worth debating.

Much easier to make tired quips about goats.

You have a point OP

On the surface, sorry

"FSM children, fucks sake.
I never understand how when some people are struggling they blame the dirt poor, rather than the obscenely rich."

This 100% totally I agree - don't attack/get annoyed at/jealous of the dirt poor - send your rage to a different sector of society please

GroundhogDay it looks as though they will be doing that. As with many intervention programmes already in place. So it’s not really about a personal tutor for every child eligible for FSM at all, whether they need it or not.
I agree the funding can be a blunt tool, but the fact remains that statistically, as a group, those are the children who will need extra support. It doesn’t mean no other child needs help and I’m sure schools will address that too.

Most schools will pool the additional FSM money (if they get it) anyway and spend it on things that benefit the whole school. They might keep aside a proportion to pay for school trips, uniforms etc for families who need that support. Very few schools will target that money ONLY to kids on FSM. It's very difficult to do without stigma and creating a lot of extra admin.

Same as I say to everyone —my sister— if it’s such a cushy life, why don’t you do it?

How one strike through doesn’t always work!??

FSM children are the cohort of children to receive the funding, not sure why people are choosing to feel so outraged by the factual term ffs.

I haven’t directed any rage at them, why is it so much easier to pretend I have then engage in the actual points? I have stated they are not the only cohort that will require extra support financially and educationally after this. I’ve not said they shouldn’t get anything.

If £700 is being given to children for private tutors, why does it make sense for this to automatically go to children in recept of FSM? My friends son is the brightest kid I know, genius levels, he will be eligible. Where as many who are struggling right now, will not be.

If it’s easier to put all children receiving FSM into a group to get support then great but there should be provisions for others in addition to those kids. I’m not saying FSM children shouldn’t get any support, I’m saying others should also.

Do any of you getting your knickers in a twist want to comment on that or continue to create an imaginary scenario based on me apparently begrudging children who’s parents are on benefits? (I receive benefits so have to LOL at that one!)

Schools have to account for how they use the money to benefit the cohort, Tea. That doesn’t mean it can’t benefit the school as a whole by raising attainment but it must be used for the intended purpose.

the thing I think is an unfair comparison is where they include child allowance with the figure of people claiming benefits obviously when you talk of a working salary you don't include them - so its not comparing like with like

Are all children still receiving FSM at the moment though? Every school I know of in my area and schools I saw on the news were handling it differently. Some were providing vouchers, some doing packed lunches and delivering them, some packed lunches but to be picked up which meant some children wouldn’t get them.

I hate to hear people who are managing to put food in to their child’s belly complain about a way to help kids on FSM. Not everything is fair, I get it’s annoying. The benefits system is imperfect bu5 it’s never the child’s fault.

Hi yes I spoke to the school they said they cant help I am going to ring around a few places tomorrow and see what we can do thank you though

@Weallhave

Yes

Also, I think that we are all guilty at times of feeling 'why is someone getting an easy ride' when I am in a job that I hate/commuting for 2 hours a day, etc. This is normal but the media has inserted a narrative about those people that distorts our thinking. Instead of stepping back, realising why we are fortunate to not be in that situation, our focus is led to the ones who are unapologetic about their benefit use (and probably not giving the crucial information to the media that the social services know, that entitles them to benefits).

It is intended to make us respond a certain way, I think and in my experience is always coupled with the most self indulgent type of person who expects the earth when they are sick/in need.

I 've met someone recently like that. She doesn't believe my leg is broken and I am awaiting surgery to replace a joint.(which is obvious as you can see my limp). She just doesn't believe it - thinks it can be healed by positive thinking and new age essences.

Batshit, in her case but it doesn't stop the same rhetoric about not doing enough, etc. It 's weaponised language to some people - useful to belittle people they have a negative perception of. She wants to help the 3rd world through changing their approach but has no engagement with their current policies, etc.

My knickers are sitting just fine, OP
But then I’m not working myself up into a little frothette about someone else’s dc getting something mine aren’t.

I am positive that schools realise the work that’s going to be needed to support all their pupils and react appropriately. They will just be getting a little more funding to help those who as a statistical cohort historically fall behind and who are likely as a group, not necessarily on an individual level to have fallen even further behind while schools are closed.

No one is taking anything away from your dc. Children on FSM aren’t going to get a governess each and ideas above their station. It’s just an attempt to address an already recognisable inequality and prevent it getting even worse.

Why is it when something is announced someone will immediately pounce on it as not entirely suited to their individual and specific situation?

Ok, so there exists a bright kid who is eligible for FSM. That anecdote doesn’t invalidate a policy which is aimed at a group who statistically horrendously underachieve.

If you say ‘£700 for every kid who needs it’, then no one will get anything. If you say ‘£700 for kids on FSM’ then you might get something.

If you think people on benefits have a better life then you’re free to give up your job and do same.

Being squeezed middle is very middle from squeezed bottom.

The system isn’t perfect but I can absolutely assure you life is going to be substantially harder for them than a 700 quid one off payment.

People do begrudge it. Not saying you are op.
It’s up there with the 2 year “free childcare ” isn’t it? People get all worked up about some potentially disadvantaged children getting free EDUCATION.

People focus far too much on the adults getting an easier time, when they should be focusing on the fact that children’s lives are hopefully that little bit easier and better. That’s the whole point.

Posts like this just demonstrate complete ignorance of the reality of a life on benefits.

I'd hate to show myself as the kind of person who would begrudge disadvantaged kids help.

The squeezed middle (of which I'm one) will never be as badly off as those on benefits. If you think its a cushy number feel free to join them.

I don’t begrudge anyone help who needs it, and yes there is an attainment gap which is going to be more of a problem after this as the kids in poorer households are statistically going to be the ones not being homeschooled.

I do have concerns about the return to school though, inevitably the first term is going to be about catching kids up, and the brighter ones will be left to fend for themselves, as they tend to be in our schools anyway. Not generally a problem but when DD returns she will be in P7 and should be starting a whole load of new concept work which she probably will miss out on til others catch up. She already had a tendency to be a bit bored and was never pushed on (like others in her group) Fine it might not affect her overall grades in the long run but it’s still a pretty crap situation for them to be in. It’s not about focusing on those who need help, it’s about not ignoring the issues that also affect the brighter kids.

I read it that they will receive the hours at school? I can't imagine tutors going into their homes, and they definitely won't just be handed £700 to source a tutor. I'm sure it's just one of many scenarios they are exploring. It is good that it is being considered, and no, as has been said, squeezed middle is not the same as being on benefits. It will actually benefit everyone anyway, it's not like schools are going to just skip several months and get back to it as though nothing has happened, there will be an over arching plan for everyone, this will be in addition and provide additional resources.

I don't think the 'squeezed middle' that are struggling the most sorry.
If I was to 'chose' those who are struggling the most, its the minimum wage/zero our/agency work people. Those who are still out there working for a crap wage unable to support their dcs with school work (beause they are, by default, at work) but just above the cut off for FSM.

The £700 though would be used to feed the family, buy maybe some eductaional stuff (a computer for them to be able to do said homework?). I doubt it would be used to pay for a tutor. I'm also very uncertain as whether it would help academic sucess for those children :(

^'Friends on full benefits'. Hmm. I'm interested in this category of able-bodied, working age people who are able to claim benefits whilst doing no work whatsoever.

I suspect they're a figment of a fevered right wing media but I'm interested in hearing about the myriad in this situation that the OP personally knows.^

Where in the OP's post did she/he state the people she knew on full benefits were able bodied, working age people?

Another example of one person either misreading the post, ignoring what OP has written, making it up as they go along, then everybody piling on the bandwagon !!

READ THE POST!

I spent many years on full benefits and still receive a top up. It is not a benefit bashing thread so those of you expecting a little fight over benefits and goats and what a cushy life it is, go and start your own thread.

I’m talking about blanket policies that fail to address real issues. I’ve had to use a food bank this week, I haven’t begrudged those on FSM’s because of it. I’m shocked it wasn’t extended to include all KS1 kids who are used to it, but at no point have I felt I wanted others to stop receiving it.

My aibu is about the £700 grant given solely to those eligible for FSM’s when they will not be the only ones in need. Not that those on FSM’s shouldn’t receive it but that others should be eligible too as FSM’s isn’t the only indicator of whether a child needs extra support, it is also an incredibly low threshold.

This government really can't win.

It doesn't seem to matter how they try and help people financially at the moment, people are finding fault. Whatever it is, people are slagging them off and saying how unfair it all is because of x, and why should those people get it and others don't.

They are having to target funding at specific easily identifiable groups first. Other people might deserve it too, but they have to start somewhere.