Bloody (not) Free school meals

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

Not redeemable against online shopping!!! and only have a one month expiration. Absolutely useless.

We have almost completely avoided the supermarket in the last year on account of CEV DS. I have a few vouchers from previous lockdown which will make finances easier when we can get back to the supermarket, but these ones bah!

I got so excited when it arrived!! AIBU to try selling them on? Would anyone buy if I explained

[Angrywife]

[quote RootyT00t]@Angrywife how many is a disgusting number?[/quote]
Give me a moment, I'll count them 🤨

The actual number is irrelevant, as is whether it is the majority or not. Every child matters. Not just those of parents that can be trusted with the money. Things are done to care for the most vulnerable in our society as a priority, and rightly so. Issuing vouchers aims in some way to try and ensure those children that don't get fed as they should, might get something. Give the parents of these kids money in their bank and you could pretty much guarantee the children would get nothing.

[MissMarpleDarling]

Yabvu op 🙄

[RootyT00t]

@Angrywife

Right so you don't know the numbers, yet you make blanket statements.

Things are done to protect the most vulnerable? By the government??????!! That is without any competition the most ridiculous thing I have read so far on these threads.

[ArosAdraDrosDolig]

In Wales, councils are paying parents by bank transfer, all of you who scoffed at that idea and suggested that parents will spend it on beer and fags. Daily Mail fodder.

[Angrywife]

[quote RootyT00t]@Angrywife

Right so you don't know the numbers, yet you make blanket statements.

Things are done to protect the most vulnerable? By the government??????!! That is without any competition the most ridiculous thing I have read so far on these threads.[/quote]
And what is your experience that makes you qualified to comment?

I might not know the numbers but I work with a large enough number of parents just like I have described to have an educated opinion.

[Angrywife]

@ArosAdraDrosDolig

In Wales, councils are paying parents by bank transfer, all of you who scoffed at that idea and suggested that parents will spend it on beer and fags. Daily Mail fodder.

And are you there supporting the children that aren't being fed?
Or are you just assuming that because the Welsh government is doing it, parents must be using the money correctly?

The amount of ignorance in this thread is saddening and disgusting.

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

Thing is... the parents who aren't putting their DC first and can't be trusted with money in the bank are the same parents who will sell the vouchers and buy fags. And they are the same parents who don't go and pick the food parcels up because they can't be bothered. And I'm not for one minute including the ones who have to catch multiple buses to school in that. I'm talking about the ones who live within walking distance and still don't go and collect them.
Crap/abusive parents are going to be crap/abusive regardless.

The vast majority of us are just trying our best.

[RootyT00t]

@Angrywife

I don't think you can call anyone out for ignorance.

I work with these families also. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but im saying writing stupid things like a disgusting number of people do it does not help the stigma and stereotype pedalled by the can't feed em don't breed em brigade.

If you are first hand experienced you should be part of moving to remove that.

And as a side note, only people who are arrogant think they can demand other people's 'qualifications to comment '. It's a life site , not newsnight.

[Angrywife]

🤣🤣🤣

Off to bed with a chuckle.
Pomposity always makes me laugh. Cheers for that

[RootyT00t]

@Angrywife

🤣🤣🤣

Off to bed with a chuckle.
Pomposity always makes me laugh. Cheers for that

Okaydokie. Night night

[ArosAdraDrosDolig]

No angeywife, I’m feeding my own children with the money that’s in my bank account from the council. With no stigma, no being forced to trek to a more expensive shop that will take the voucher, no worry about whether somewhere will take it. So no, I’m not the one doing the assuming. I know I am using the money correctly and I know that everyone I know who is also claiming fsm is feeding their children with that money.

I have worked with vulnerable families in the past though. And the most vulnerable families are in need of more support than a bank transfer or a voucher. Making it a voucher doesn’t mean those children are protected, the issues are multifactorial as you well know. And those families are unlikely to have the ability to apply for, obtain and use a voucher without support. They are also the least likely to be able to drive to the shop where the voucher can be redeemed, or to have enough money in their account to reach the minimum for an online order, have phone credit or WiFi to order it etc etc. Cash reduces the number of barriers to that money being spent on feeding children. It also gives people choice, which shouldn’t be the prerogative of the rich.

The ignorance on this thread is astounding . You said it.

[ArosAdraDrosDolig]

That should be angrywife

[SE13Mummy]

@Hazelnutlatteplease and @iamtheoneandonlyyy if you're struggling to redeem the vouchers you've been issued, please get in touch with your child's school and let someone know you need support in a different form. It may be that the school is able to set up something different for you e.g. delivery of food boxes from a supermarket or even a willing staff member doing a shop for you.

The school I teach at is providing supermarket deliveries from Asda or Morrisons, depending upon what each family has chosen. If a family is struggling to get food but isn't eligible for FSM, we get a box sent to them ASAP but one of the staff will drop off immediate essentials the same day. Not every school will offer exactly that but I'm fairly certain that if you ask for help, most schools will find a way to get food to you. And if either of you happen to be in SE London, I'm out and about dropping resources and supplies to families of the children at my school so would be more than happy to do the same for you.

[TylluanBach]

@StarCat2020

It is utterly disgusting that the Government begrudge CHILDREN £3 a day for lunch.

I cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels.

I don't want to be cynical but I wonder if the whole farce with the food parcels wasn't intentional to keep certain voters on their side??

I hope I am wrong.

Think you need to join the real world where that money would be spent on fags,booze or the next hit to escape reality.

[RootyT00t]

@TylluanBach

Ah yes. The smoking drinking drug taking parents.

How many of those do you think there are per 100 fsm recipients?

And do you think it's only fsm recipients who do that?

[sashh]

@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

Maybe you could be given vouchers only for fruit and veg an submit you choices to the panel for prior approval.

Fruit!

Children might enjoy that, a choice of gruel or porridge, made with water, maybe allow milk on Sunday after compulsory church.

[Rashfordsrations]

It is really odd how it is being dealt with. My child gets fsm but i am yet to receive anything. I have contacted school and i just keep getting fobbed off with “in a few days you will receive something”

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

@rashfordsrations I hope you hear something soon!
We are quite lucky in the sense that DS1s school have been given some 'vegetarian sliders' which they've then passed on to fsm families. We've got 21 of them being delivered tomorrow. DS1 is pescetarian, and very fussy so hopefully he will eat them. Although if he doesn't DS2 and I eat almost anything so they won't go to waste!

[Ddot]

Someone I worked with!
Her neighbour had a small child who recieved charity for her child. A warm coat and some toys for Christmas.
Boxing day she was banging on doors trying to sell.
Not all parents are good parents so unfortunately a voucher is the only option. Still doesn't mean the child will eat but better odds

[lockeddownandcrazy]

@StarCat2020

It is utterly disgusting that the Government begrudge CHILDREN £3 a day for lunch.

I cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels.

I don't want to be cynical but I wonder if the whole farce with the food parcels wasn't intentional to keep certain voters on their side??

I hope I am wrong.

Probably because the government are well aware that in the families where children have most need - which is probably not those on mumsnet - that directly transferred money would be very unlikely to be spent on anything for the child, let alone food.

[RootyT00t]

@lockeddownandcrazy not true
Please don't pedal these stereotypes it doesn't help anyone.

[RootyT00t]

[quote sashh]@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

Maybe you could be given vouchers only for fruit and veg an submit you choices to the panel for prior approval.

Fruit!

Children might enjoy that, a choice of gruel or porridge, made with water, maybe allow milk on Sunday after compulsory church.[/quote]
Sugar sorry i forgot the outrage jam caused.

@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo pescatarian???? You're having a laugh. He will eat whatever he is given

[ArosAdraDrosDolig]

It isn’t better odds ddot, for the reasons I explained above. Money has better odds.

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

@RootyT00t silly me. I forgot poor children aren't allowed choices! I wish he would eat what he's given (actually I don't, I'm happy to support him) but he's the sort of child who will actually go hungry rather than eat something he doesn't like. I guess if he was actually starving he might give in. But he'd move in with my mum if before that happened

[Ddot]

One child going hungry is too much. If 99% have to have vouchers because 1% are irresponsible, sorry but that's the way it has to be.