Wrap around care for those who don't work??

[Raisinsandweetabix]

Free breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs. Why would you need this if you are at home all day anyway? Another kick in the teeth to working parents. Obviously not including those in dire need of this care.

There are no restrictions on what benefits are spent on.
I am on UC, and enjoy wine on occasion.
No one from DWP will be interested in that. No one.

I think if you applied for UC or any benefit you'd be quite (pleasantly?) surprised as to just how difficult the DWP make your life.

If it was on a case by case basis your SIL would still qualify so what is your issue exactly?

Now you’re just going on a rant about generic benefit fraud based on a now off-air channel 5 “documentary”.

And you know all the current details about your SIL’s life and finances but are estranged?

@Wonderi No mention of the kids’ father/s (brother? Brother-in law?) so we’ll have to assume he/they are not around for the OP to berate. She says its not the ‘nanny’ state’s job to raise these kids properly, looks like you’re up auntie @Raisinsandweetabix.

You can absolutely go on a holiday and buy alcohol if you are on benefits, you are not a prisoner who can’t leave the country. The show you have watched was targeting people who were abusing the benefits system and claiming fraudulently I believe this is one of the reasons they introduced the benefit cap as well.

Of course children should be entitled to this. It isn't the kids' fault.
It's just a shame it's come to this. I also am baffled as to how a parent can't manage to feed their child breakfast every morning.
What a sad state of affairs.

WTC I think has been phased out in exchange for Universal Credit..

Which is a real PITA.

We don't get it (even though we could due to total income even though we both work). We just decided being poorer was better than having to navigate UC every month.

We have enough going on with DS who has SEND (SEND families will understand what I mean here in terms of fighting broken systems - groundhog day after day).. .

It's the state taking responsibility to care for all children at primary level.

I do wonder how those children feel when they get to secondary school are hungry, and neglected. Their lives haven't miraculously improved in one term.

I also doubt it’s a lot. A quick calculation says that minimum wage about 10 hours a week would meet that threshold. Most kids on FSM have no earnt income in the house. Although I personally think FSM should cover a higher income that it currently does!

Oh come on, there are plenty of kids whose parents will seize on the opportunity to drop their child off earlier than they need to so they can sit and have a coffee in peace before going to work. I work in a school and there has definitely been a change in culture amongst the parents the past few years and I don't know why it is. The type of parent who, when you call them to tell them their child has got diarrhoea so badly they've had to be cleaned up by a poor TA 3 times, will tell you "Well, the thing is I'm still at work. Is it ok if I get there in 2 hours?" Er, no, it fucking isn't. Your child is really unwell and is potentially infecting all the other children. Come and parent him!

Tedious it is!!. Don't know if it's a man posting though. Us women can be equally 😏🤔

You’re not the only one who has taken this approach and I’m sorry to hear it. You should be getting what you deserve and need and my heart goes out to everyone locked in the SEND merry go round. I send you all my best.

And noted. Tax credits wrapped up in Universal Credit. I will remember that the next time I see a ‘UC feckless freeloader’ comment.

You say your children possibly have adhd op. Can I ask, do they have additional support in school? One to ones, teachers having to spend more time making sure your children have the same opportunities to achieve in the classroom as others? Which of course, should be the case. But when you have children with additional needs, it means they may have support that other children are then missing out on. And it’s absolutely not the SEN children’s fault, but it is the same argument you’re making - children from poorer or chaotic families can’t help the background they come from, but it doesn’t mean that the support in the morning and after school shouldn’t be available to them because their parents don’t work. The education system needs to be available to each student as an individual, not as a grouping based on socioeconomic value.

Hello, I'd just like to join the conversation as someone who gets benefits and is going on a holiday abroad in February.

Hi!

I do have a large tv (actually I have two) but I don't have a goat. I think my cats would object.

It's not to help the parents, it's to support the children who are most at need.

Look at it this way, your children are incredibly lucky to have a hardworking, caring mum who meets their needs. Some others are in families that are unable or unwilling to meet their needs.

Yes, adequate childcare should be available to working parents. But that shouldn't be at the expense of children who need wraparound care for other reasons.

It’s a shame the dad isn’t stepping up, then the kids wouldn’t need to use the wraparound care.

I guess it’s always the mother’s fault.

My ‘wanking’ comment was not gender specific and could be read as metaphorical if I wanted to be a smartarse. For note, I don’t mean to be a smart arse, am just a bit pissed off and should probably have my tea or something.

Jeez
I paid for breakfast club and asc for my 3 over a 20 year period. For my youngest especially it added enormously to her world.
I paid for every scrap of school holiday cover.
If it is to be funded for all, bloody fantastic. If children who get free school meals also get some fun activities to look forward to in the school holidays, double fantastic.
It's brilliant that parents get a hand now towards childcare costs at a younger age, better maternity deals and paternity pay. Literally cannot imagine how or why anyone with an ounce of sense would see this as a problem

I'm with you. Call me a cynic but I think the universal breakfast club idea is really just a way to get kids into school on time to reduce low level of attendance or lateness. Not to mention covering up woefully inadequate social services resourcing. And it completely erodes the idea that school should not be seen as childcare.

Yes working parents get it too, BUT if you are working you pay £30 per week per child for breakfast club. The unemployed pay nothing. I need help in getting up in the morning due to swollen joints and other problems and the carer that helps me starts work at 8am so relies on breakfast club and pays for it. Her next door unemployed neighbour has 5 children at the same school and doesn't pay a penny.

I also am baffled as to how a parent can't manage to feed their child breakfast every morning.
What a sad state of affairs.

Off the top of my head, a parent with a chronic debilitating disease or severe mental health problems or up to their neck in debt?

So where's the dad? Because clearly there's also a brother or bil to blame here too, Or is it the usual case of it's all the woman's fault?

Why are social services not providing breakfast clubs for such children? Why should it fall on the burden of schools?

Well it’s almost as if expecting most parents to start work at exactly the same time that school starts isn’t really a workable system.

Breakfast clubs are good coz they ensure kids get a good breakfast before they start the day. So many children don’t eat breakfast and it really does impact their ability to focus and learn.

Rubbish parents are rubbish parents, and they will be regardless of what wrap-a-round care they use for their kids.