What's happened to Free School Meals provision?

[Carpathian2]

I've just had this from my child's school

Yes it’s very nice to be offered food and whether that’s a voucher or a hamper brilliant BUT this pandemic is seriously affecting people on so many levels.
Choice is a big deal
So is kindness. When we got our xmas hamper alongside a voucher I was expecting what was in it tbh- basic cereals and value biscuits (taste the same to me anyway !) rice and pasta etc BUT what made me tearful and actually feel human was one bag- the bag with some colouring books in and chocolate and some nice tea bags - that’s what I’m taking about we need to not lose sight that people and families are individuals and have feelings and we can’t just lump them all in together, think the worst, make them feel they have to be eternally grateful for something that they may not like or may not be the most convenient option for them.

@Woodenhearted

Hmm not sure what happened there my phone had a moment and has misspelt it all ! Schools meals £2.20 a day (£11 a week£ A voucher for £15 as largest can’t make savings bill buying .... No real difference

Catering services are still needed and they still need paying because how are KW children suppose to have their lunches if not?.

Someone mentioned that a food parcel is probably cheaper than giving a parent a voucher for each child.

@Downtothelastbottleofwine

Woodenhearted

This is just like the threads when people think food banks should only be offering wallpaper

That's the food banks job though
It shouldn't have to be the schools job

Schools offer the fsm provision And are able to contact families they are the closest professionals involved usually and their role is important

Seriously how much do people expect schools to do for THEIR children? When will the entitlement end?

To be quite honest I don’t expect anything more than the excellent education and care my children already get. They are working damn hard all the time and especially now. They can only do what they are able!

One of my children is currently going to school 5 days a week and I’m more than grateful for that provision they’re giving to him.

Anyway I’m sure you feel much better after your many sarcastic responses to my post. Not really sure what to say to be honest. You sure told me

I remembered when the free schools debates were happening. Quite a few mothers said that they can’t go to the supermarket. Too far and the small shops too expensive.

There is something to be said. The schools and government can’t win wherever they do.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

The government have missed a trick with this. They should have linked up with a national supermarket who could have set up standardised boxes (by age/dietary needs) and schools use an online portal to select x amount of boxes for xyz addresses and the supermarket deliver them. Bill the govt. School used as a means of collating the data on what is needed and where.

But then that would mean admitting that large swathes of the British public earn too little to feed their children for a third of their meals.

Or they could just pay the money into parents’ accounts and cut out all this messing around.

@Brieminewine - the vouchers can only be spent on food - not alcohol or cigarettes. Obviously there is a chance of them.being sold. I do prefer the vouchers as less work for busy school staff and to be honest I can make it stretch further as my DC seem to be hungry every 5 min while at home!

My child has coeliacs so pretty close to the ‘gluten intolerant’ that you mock ......
it’s all really funny till it’s your child
Did you know a lot of areas no longer offer GF on prescription for coeliacs? It can be really expensive

Aw come on, I have allergies and know they're not a laughing matter
I took it as a joke in the way it was more than likely intended, as all the stuff "but but but what about....." is exactly like what the poster said lol
Now imagining him going "f* ya all then" and flinging the fish up into the air and flouncing off

@Woodenhearted

Schools get £1320 pupil premium for each fsm child to benefit them WHEN IN SCHOOL. They aren’t in school currently so I’m sure this money could be used and choices of voucher or hamper offered instead !

They wouldn't be able to do that, the money will be allocated already to costs that they still have to cover.

[quote Flipflops85]@parkpoolplunge
Was the guidance published today?[/quote]
Yes, last updated at 5.27pm

Is anyone at the school entitled to FSM? Wondered if that is why the school aren’t getting the funding?

Latest guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance?utmmedium=email&utmmcampaign=govuk-notifications&utmsource=0d96046e-2048-4d3a-b4c7-67e69d789a99&utmmcontent=immediate

@parkpoolplunge

Hopefully things will change next week in that casebb be

*It’s just as well Mumsnet wasn’t around when Jesus was feeding the 5000 on a bit of fish and bread............

Can you imagine the uproar.

My Jeremiahs gluten intolerant and our Miriam won’t touch fish, are there any nuggets?

Is that fish responsibly sourced?

Don’t you have any white bread cos my kids won’t eat that whole meal crap.*

😂😂😂😂😂

The government makes a big show about continuing FSM for all pupils and then quietly stops extra funding. I don't think the school are being unreasonable - cut funding is cut funding. It is the people at the top that you should have an issue with.

Schools cant win can they. I think the op sounds very ungrateful. That is more than enough for 5 lunches its not meant to feed 3 meals a day 7 days a week. I find it hard to believe that anyone would struggle to make anything with that, I work in a school with a lot of pp children and I'd be confident they could all use that food. Just because the school gets so much money for each child does not mean they spend every penny of that money on the individual child. They might buy equipment or pay staff to run groups. It does not mean that is the personal spending for each child.

@woodenhearted I get what you mean but they can't cater to everyones preference as such , as some would like vouchers others found them difficult , plus it seems to depend from school to school.
Some schools give even extra , I know at my dc school they get a breakfast allowance as well when in school , think its like £ but that buys one or 2 items from canteen , not sure if thats everywhere though.
If and when I can afford to donate I always put something nice in as well as we all deserve a little treat every now and again

@YouBoughtMeAWall

Instead it included; A loaf of bread Iceberg lettuce Dairylea triangles An extra 2 yogurts Couple extra potatoes Tins of tuna

They're only offering boxes every two weeks, so that's supposed to be the equivalent of £30 food, which it just isn't.

That’s barely a fivers worth!

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

I was comparing with the OP's original list, and so listed the items that our school had committed, and the items that they had added instead.

Apologies, sleep deprived!

i work in a supermarket and yes people bought things other than food with as they are just normal supermarket vouchers ,because unless you tell me they are school vouchers i dont know why you have them ,the only thing that gave it away in the very begining was people having about £500.00 of vouchers in £15 denominations due to having a few children and delays in getting the vouchers

What is this competitive 'my child eats a speck of dust for lunch every day and is busting at the seams full' thing on Mumsnet?!

I think that seem ok, not ideal but nothing about the current situation is. The principal behind FSM is to give food directly to children, so that they have definitely eaten (which this scheme does). If it was just about the cost saving for parents, it would be far easier to scrap FSM and increased benefits so parents could afford lunches, but they don't because some parents can't or won't prioritise their kids eating.

Giving vouchers assumes that the child has an adult who can/will use it to go to the shop and buy food for them. Not every child has that.

Giving ingredients for hot food assumes the child lives in a house with a functional kitchen, and has an adult whose able to cook for them. Not every child has that.

That's why it's all food that does quite well without a fridge, and a lot of it can be opened and eaten straight from the packet by a 5yo whose fending for themselves because their addict mum/dad is passed out again. That's the reality for some of the children this scheme is trying to reach. I am in no way saying all FSM families are like that, the vast majority are definitely not like that, but they have to offer the same to all and try to reach every child, even in the grimest situation.

That sounds about right to me, easy, healthy but decent meals. Pretty much what I eat for my own lunch most days.

@FlamingoAtTheBingo - fsm have been around for donkeys years. Not sure many remember a time without them. I never expected to be in a position to need fsm when I chose to have my DC. Unfortunately I had a mental breakdown and couldn't work. I may claim.benefits but I'm still responsible for a hell of a lot to do with the care of my DC.

@Woodenhearted

Schools get £1320 pupil premium for each fsm child to benefit them WHEN IN SCHOOL. They aren’t in school currently so I’m sure this money could be used and choices of voucher or hamper offered instead !

Doesn't work like that... sozzles

@KindnessCrusader

What is this competitive 'my child eats a speck of dust for lunch every day and is busting at the seams full' thing on Mumsnet?!

I haven't seen anything like that, are you on the right thread?