Am I the only person who thinks parents should feed their kids outside of school?

[HalloweenDoughnutAnyone]

Obviously it goes without saying I don't want any child to go hungry. But. Am I the only person who thinks parents should feed their kids outside of school?

Just that really.. it's free school dinners. Not free lunch all year round.

I don't understand why people think the tax payer should be paying even more? Maybe, if you can't afford to cover the basics (food and clothing) you should think twice before having a child?

Or should we extend free school dinners, to cover all the food a child needs inside and outside of school ?

I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush but I know people who rely on free school dinners. But have sky tv, expensive mobile contracts etc

Here is a link to an excellent short film highlighting the reality of children going hungry in our country. It’s very powerful and certainly brought home to me it isn’t somebody else’s problem, it could be right in our community, our street.

www.chefsinschools.org.uk/end-child-food-poverty

Maybe, if you can't afford to cover the basics (food and clothing) you should think twice before having a child?

This is unfair

All kinds of unfortunate circumstances can conspire to plung families into poverty unexpectedly

There but for the grace of God and all that

So we know that vouchers are being sold on. Partly because it isn,t working for the families. So what is the answer. Schools give out meals that get chucked or not picked up. money will be spent else where. I believe there are somepeople who genuinly do struggle, then there are those that don,t care, then there are those that will miss out on food so children can eat. All scenarios exist and to say otherwise is not true. Both at college (when tought by ex social workers) and whilst working in cP I heard stories of how welfare and charity was abused. And yes I did see the families where the children and designer clothes but they struggled to feed the children.

You all seem blinkered. Let me know how it goes when you are the person trying to help these families.

I am one of very many people trying to help these families. And I think your value base is way, way out of kilter with the profession you claim as your own.

@FourTeaFallOut

crimblecrumbleofcourse

We are in agreement, although I was, in frustration, being sarcastic which isn't always clear on here, I suppose.

Thank you for your humility. I was wrong. I'm happy to hold my hands up.

I'd like to know all about you OP.

What was your childhood like?

What jobs did your parents do?

Do any of your family members have any mental health problems or disabilities?

What job do you do? Have you ever had to leave a job due to harassment or assault? Have you ever been made redundant?

Do you live somewhere abortion is legal? Have you ever had an unplanned pregnancy?

How has coronavirus affected you and your family personally?

How do you vote?

What's your ethnicity? What's your sexual orientation? Have you ever been a victim of domestic abuse? Are you a single parent? Did you go to university?

All the above can affect life chances and job prospects and earning power. Most are pot luck.

@june2007

So we know that vouchers are being sold on. Partly because it isn,t working for the families. So what is the answer. Schools give out meals that get chucked or not picked up. money will be spent else where. I believe there are somepeople who genuinly do struggle, then there are those that don,t care, then there are those that will miss out on food so children can eat. All scenarios exist and to say otherwise is not true. Both at college (when tought by ex social workers) and whilst working in cP I heard stories of how welfare and charity was abused. And yes I did see the families where the children and designer clothes but they struggled to feed the children.

At the moment vouchers are the best option (because this current government will never give cash).

The vast majority are being used properly. Even the "sold on" stories are mostly people swapping limited vouchers for cash because the specific place on the voucher isn't accessible to them. A choice of voucher would be good, but that would involve a nationwide organisation plan which would cost billions, take time and not work.

In an ideal world if I was a dictator I'd get the supermarkets to offer delivery slots for £15/19/voucher value with £1 or £2 delivery charge. The supermarket would make a lot of money because they'd be guaranteed the voucher being used through them in return for lowering their £40 limit for vouchers holders in the holidays.

That way it would be accessible, it would allow a good choice, people wouldn't suffer for out of stock items because of the way supermarkets substitute things and delivery would mean no bus fares etc required. There would have to be a paper option for the people who don't have internet access to do their shopping.

So, more choice of where the vouchers

This is good news

www.tyla.com/tasty/food-and-drink-mcdonalds-donates-one-million-free-school-meals-20201023

It is good, isn't it? We've had a lot of local businesses coming forward to offer free meals over our half term. And one restaurant that has issued a lifetime ban for all those MPs who voted against extended food provision .

@TazMac
I earned £46k pa subject to interest rises since 2000 except for the last 7 years when I had to reduce my wages for childcare for my unplanned child resulting from rape.

I have only claimed benefits for 2 years now, ever.

It isnt actually the point that I have made in this thread, but pick away.

I'm sorry that my argument was unsatisfactory for you.

Not so good news for the posters using McDonalds and take aways as examples of feckless parenting

I think, sadly, a great many people think the same way as the OP.

I tend to think myself, that to sincerely espouse such views, you must have quite a limited imagination, or ability to understand the really quite vast and complex issues at play, when it comes to child poverty.

My last reply, and no I'm not full of my own ego . But if any other care provider can truly say that they can save every family, then I am in awe. The only point I have been trying to make is that not every parent is a good one. And I am not saying those children should go without Regardless of politics.

@Madonnawiththebigboobies

My last reply, and no I'm not full of my own ego . But if any other care provider can truly say that they can save every family, then I am in awe. The only point I have been trying to make is that not every parent is a good one. And I am not saying those children should go without Regardless of politics.

You’re the only person in the thread that bragged that no child in your area goes hungry...

@Madonnawiththebigboobies

My last reply, and no I'm not full of my own ego . But if any other care provider can truly say that they can save every family, then I am in awe. The only point I have been trying to make is that not every parent is a good one. And I am not saying those children should go without Regardless of politics.

Well yes you were, you were saying that the most vulnerable children in society are not the responsibility of the state.

You are saying that the government is not responsible but their parents are.

You haven't said who should pick the pieces up when their parents make bad choices. You have just said that not everyone can be saved implying that these children should not be.

If you are a social worker then that is truly shocking.

I am hunting for someone's link to 38 degrees about stopping MPs subsidised lunches/meals can someone link to it please!

@mumwon

I am hunting for someone's link to 38 degrees about stopping MPs subsidised lunches/meals can someone link to it please!

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-mps-entitlement-to-free-work-meals?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1603465789&utm_campaign&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=facebook&share=f920f8a1-e6b0-4429-93f8-3d4a69a6414c&fbclid=IwAR04aLCHYfxk5UMGvQjpcsDpyQJKZbACVH9DpO697p-CwqFFxrBSSesrXL0

So much virtue signalling on these threads.

I grew up on a council estate and I didn't know any kids who were poor enough to go hungry. I knew a lot of their parents who were on the dole but still had plenty of money for fags.

One of the kids who had FSM at school had her own horse. Another had a family holiday to Florida for three weeks every summer - with all six of their siblings.

My parents worked their fingers to the bone and we couldn't comfortably afford luxuries like this.

Don't pretend that these things don't happen. No child should go hungry but if they are, it's not simply because their parents can't afford it.

But if any other care provider can truly say that they can save every family, then I am in awe

I don’t see anyone saying they can save every family. The difference is you place the blame on “bad” parenting, while others can see the complexity of issues which, for lack of a better expression, create the conditions which make “bad” parents and which prevents parents being able to take responsibility.

If you’re talking wilful, abusive, neglectful parenting then these children literally are the governments responsibility through child protection processes and corporate parenting responsibilities. More widely the government creates and sustains the socio-economic environment which perpetuates poverty.

So, whatever way you look at it, the government is responsible for these children.

@PatriciaPerch

“Jamie Oliver will go mad grin he could have done it though if his little upper wc restaurant chain hadn't gone bust wink”

😂

Just to clarify, they have donated funding, not actual McDonald's food- have I got that right?

If only it was actual McDonald's food. I could murder a Big Mac right now.

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander

Just to clarify, they have donated funding, not actual McDonald's food- have I got that right?

If only it was actual McDonald's food. I could murder a Big Mac right now.

But you're not entitled - you can't be poor enough as you're on the internet!