No free school meals during Feb half term

[noblegiraffe]

The new guidance on free school meals says that schools should not provide food or vouchers during Feb half term.

This won’t be needed as some general funding is going to LAs and they will be expected to provide food/support for the week schools are off.

This is bonkers, right? They’ve only just sorted it so that kids get more than a manky banana, cheese and dry bread for lunch and they’re going to switch to a different system for a week?

Does this government just really hate feeding hungry kids?

YANBU: sticking with one system for feeding disadvantaged kids would be best

YABU: it’ll be fine, no one will fall through the cracks and the transition will be seamless.

@PrankedByLife

15:34noblegiraffe No!! I don't understand how these parents can't provide he basic cheapest foods for their kids. I understand the concept far better than you - at least me and my community feed the poor. What have you done? Look at your community!

BY the way if there are any people people that can't feed themselves or their children go to your nearest Sikh temple, you don't have to be a Sikh, or an Indian, or believe in God, you can be raging racist BNP voter and you will still be welcome - hunger doesn't see race or religion.
Just take your shoes and socks off, wash your hands and cover your heads, you will be welcome.

My point was - why can't these parents starve themselves to feed their kids? How can even a very little benefit money not be able to provide them with cold food at the least. Cheap brand rice costs £1 and last a week.

Why can't these parents starve themselves to feed their kids? Read that back until you figure what's wrong with what you just said.

Most parents WOULD do this, or even have at some point. I have. But why should people in a developed country have to starve themselves at all? For any reason? Let alone something as selfless as to ensure someone else, a child, is fed.

Not everyone has cooking facilities for even cheap rice, or if they are now at home all day they have to factor in extra heating and electricity costs which eats into their food budget, if they buy extra food they can't afford the extra power to cook even if they have the facilities. There are lots of reasons.

@AlternativePerspective

Why should children be getting free meals in half term? They don’t when the schools are open do they?

I'm incredibly annoyed at this govt but also - this. It's not normal to get free meals at half term, this wouldn't be a free meals at schools project then. It's just - free meals. Which is considerably more expensive than what it is now (and I agree what it is now is also terrible).

@Alwaysandforeverhere

They should just provide free lunch for all children of school age. Make it standard no arguments no but I’m £2 over the limit for free meals etc just standard every child gets a lunch.

I think all children who where entitled to free lunches ks1 foundation stage should of been included in the food parcels/vouchers. The stigma becomes attached because it’s not for everyone. If every child had lunch provided it would just be standard.

Where will that money come from?

And no my children are not entitled to any type of food parcel free lunches etc. But I still think feeding every single child a lunch would be better than a half arsed maybe kinda approach.

See my post upthread and then pay a visit to Google

I just did, FoxyTheFox, but apart from the sign language thing and I see a lot of instances where he's "partnered" with someone to urge them to do something, but little about actual personal activities apart from some photo/SM ops - and certainly nothing about independent donations

However if anyone can point to these I'm very happy to change my mind

@Banoffeepies

The children who slip through the crack are the ones whose parents income have been drastically cut through the pandemic but aren’t entitled to FSM. Nothing is being done for these children.

My income was annihilated during the first lockdown, I lost half of my normal working hours but I am not entitled to FSM whereas some parents on UC whose income hasn’t changed we’re entitled to help . Thankfully I had savings to fall back on but I can imagine many people in my position wouldn’t have.

I’d like to see help for these children aswell.

Agreed.

@DumplingsAndStew

The pay rise given to Dominic Cummings of 40 grand would be a good start.

Well every government seems to find magic money trees for its little pet wants I’m sure feeding every 4-18 year olds one lunch is much cheaper than those doctors visits and special visits due to lack of food, you could even have it where parents who don’t need it can opt out or set up donations to help fund it.

Bit like voluntary donations but like school swimming lessons. I can afford it so I pay the recommended £6 a lesson to the school so those who can’t don’t have to.

Also it’s a lot cheaper to buy in bulk so the cost of feeding 20 children could work out to the same cost or even less then feeding just 10 children.

So you don’t want to stop feeding hungry children to teach their parents a lesson about personal responsibility?

Spot on - so allowing that most will do whatever it takes to feed their children, it becomes a question of how to reach those of parents who can't be bothered (and whose DCs often don't benefit from the vouchers anyway)

Lunch clubs have been mentioned, but sadly the take up is often small
Food vouchers for specific types of goods only perhaps?
Actual food boxes - of proper quality of course - to be delivered?

Better minds than mine will doubtless have other ideas, and hopefully they may work better than the current system which clearly doesn't

@Puzzledandpissedoff

So you don’t want to stop feeding hungry children to teach their parents a lesson about personal responsibility?

Spot on - so allowing that most will do whatever it takes to feed their children, it becomes a question of how to reach those of parents who can't be bothered (and whose DCs often don't benefit from the vouchers anyway)

Lunch clubs have been mentioned, but sadly the take up is often small
Food vouchers for specific types of goods only perhaps?
Actual food boxes - of proper quality of course - to be delivered?

Better minds than mine will doubtless have other ideas, and hopefully they may work better than the current system which clearly doesn't

I don't understand any of the points you're making , Puzzled.

The system does work . The vouchers did work until the media got in the government's head about feckless parents. The boxes would have been fine if the government hadn't have contracted to their cronies and ripped off the system.

Do you agree with FSM or not? It's not clear.

@podgebot, I can absolutely confirm there is a shortage of foster carers, especially for secondary aged children and larger sibling groups. In some parts of the country they have no other choice but to break sibling groups up as very few foster carers can care for 4 or 5 children in one placement. Much cheaper to offer good support to.jingry children who are otherwise well cared for by parents especially if only on furlough and lower money for short term. Those people not wanting to get these children fed, I would say to you I hope you never both loose your jobs at the same time and your own children go hungry, because you would not want government to step in and feed your children, especially if over a school holiday.

They should just provide free lunch for all children of school age. Make it standard no arguments no but I’m £2 over the limit for free meals etc just standard every child gets a lunch.

I would be in favour of this then its catch all and also picks up those children who might be just outside the thresholds for FSM.

Where will that money come from?

Approx 11 million school age children in the UK attend state schools and currently the government spending on FSM pays a flat rate of £2.30 per child so if it was applied to every child it would cost approximately £9 billion a year but this is a fraction of the overall welfare spend (approx £195 billion a year) and the benefits of such a scheme would more than justify the cost. Children who are fed learn better, they are more likely to be in school, they are more able to concentrate, they are less anxious and stressed, and they have better long-term outcomes such as qualifications, social responsibility, and employment.

Do you agree with FSM or not? It's not clear

Yes, I most certainly do ... but not necessarily as vouchers and not necessarily in school holidays

The £2.30 per child is the current spend. If every school child was given universal FSM this would probably reduce due to economies of scale.

The £2.30 per child is the current spend. If every school child was given universal FSM this would probably reduce due to economies of scale

Maybe, maybe not, but that potential £9bn wouldn't be part of the current £195bn welfare spend per year - it would be in excess of it, and good luck with hoping for that when the economy's on the floor

A few less Lords in the Upper Chamber and the money saved could be used to feed hungry children every holiday. I would think that would be a popular policy. They get huge expenses for attending, and meals provided. As if they need the free food.

I’ve not voted as I can’t make my mind up.

The government shouldn’t have to feed children whilst they are not in school. They never have and where will it end? Should they also be fed during the summer holidays too? Should all children from low income families receive lunch every day any way? Isn’t that what child benefit is for?

However - poverty in families has been rapidly increasing for years with food banks never in history used so much. It was already shocking and the wave of people that are now unemployed due to covid have pushed the situation in to crisis point.

I know for a fact people who have not spent their benefit money on what it should be going on. They are in my family. I also know what’s it’s like to be sensible with money then lose your job and not have money for a loaf of bread. So whilst there are many many people taking the piss and using the benefit system as a way of life - there are many who are completely fucked through no fault of their own.

Not sure why they need to provide food in the holidays, the kids wouldn't be getting free school meals in the feb half term if they were in school.

If you can't afford 5 potatoes and some cheese then something is seriously wrong in your priorities tbh.

I would just like a situation where anyone who questions the ever expanding state/welfare state is automatically vilified and accused of wanting poor children to starve

The welfare state has shrunk exponentially in the last ten years. Add to the effects of austerity a global pandemic and rising unemployment and we’re going to see poverty levels greater than at any time in 50 years.

Considering the government has so far spunked £9 billion on Brexit, not to mention £10 billion on the failed Test and Trace system, I'd say they have some wiggle room in their budget.

I genuinely don't begrudge hungry children being fed but don't believe it should be down to the state to feed them especially in school holidays that is the responsibility of the parents.

I'm not a high earner at all and my husband works in a supermarket, we both work full-time but aren't entitled to anything except child benefit.

People like us are struggling but aren't being considered. We have had no payrise yet our electric , gas and water has gone up due to everyone being home .

Our food bill has gone up both due to inflation and again the kids being home.

Universal credit has gone up £20 a week yet people in the middle like us have no help .

I had to buy a laptop as we only had 1 device between 3 kids.
I bought a very basic chromebook on my credit card as that's all we could afford and we're not eligible for a loan device.
What about families in the middle like us?

children should always be able to eat. even if their parents are simply lazy and selfish.
children should always be able to eat.

@fedupathome

I genuinely don't begrudge hungry children being fed but don't believe it should be down to the state to feed them especially in school holidays that is the responsibility of the parents.

I'm not a high earner at all and my husband works in a supermarket, we both work full-time but aren't entitled to anything except child benefit.

People like us are struggling but aren't being considered. We have had no payrise yet our electric , gas and water has gone up due to everyone being home .

Our food bill has gone up both due to inflation and again the kids being home.

Universal credit has gone up £20 a week yet people in the middle like us have no help .

I had to buy a laptop as we only had 1 device between 3 kids.
I bought a very basic chromebook on my credit card as that's all we could afford and we're not eligible for a loan device.
What about families in the middle like us?

I am so sorry to see that this person is struggling. This is why we need a system that supports people at all levels before they reach deprivation.

You are clearly a hard worker who just needs a little extra support but what if you had a sudden emergency expense? The govt should be there to support you before you have to panic

those of you against FSM mp, do you support this heavily subsidised meal provision at tax payers expense ?