Free school breakfast for every child

[greyingunderneath]

Is this a good use of funding? I am not very well off financially but I don’t mind providing a slice of toast for my child and can’t say it will make any difference to me financially if they provide it instead.
I don’t know how much this is costing the government but it seems like a waste of resources to me.

You are assuming they will want to eat it all that the parents will allow it.

It's likely to be beige junk.

One of my colleagues had to pay for breakfast club because of the hour, at which she starts work. Her child didn't like the breakfast, served up and wouldn't eat it. So she had to get him up even earlier, feed him breakfast and take him to breakfast club to not eat it.

I think it would cause a lot of waste.

A large box of cornflakes is on offer at £1.75 and the non branded boxes even cheaper.

A loaf of bread can be bought for less than £1.

A pack of 8 crumpets for less than £1 in waitrose

I could go on, but if parents aren't budgeting their funds enough to afford those sums to feed their children something at breakfast there's something far wrong.

Total waste of money imo unless a very deprived area.

Be better providing decent snack mid morning for kids who need it.

Nothing is free but of all the socialist plans, I can get behind this one.

I do wish Labour would stop touting it as a job done when I'm paying £8.50 for before school club.

It’s done in several US states. Nine also have universal free lunch.

it would be nicer if it were a cooked breakfast, yes. But the kids who take it aren’t getting eggs and toast at home.

How is putting pressure on UC claimants to work not a good thing?

And those people need family support or social services intervention, not for every child to get a free breakfast. What next, bring kids in pjs and school will give them a shower and some laundered uniform too?

I don’t think free breakfast is a sensible use of public money - it’s a basic parenting responsibility to feed your kids and there are already benefits and free lunches given to people on low incomes to assist them with that. Well off families don’t need free toast.

Imagine being the child in this scenario. As a former homeless young adult whose life was transformed by the help of strangers,
the cost of a slice of bread/bowl of porridge/ glass of juice is the least we should consider offering to those ppl ess fortunate. It really does help.

If they are so inept, it sounds like an advert for boarding schools, take all the responsibility away from parents from birth onwards, paid for from taxes obviously. I wonder if these who are unable to deal with a child are as useless in all aspects of their lives?

Too idle?? Don’t you realise that most of the people using breakfast club are doing so because they work a 40+ hour week and need the early childcare arrangements? Honestly, the obtusity of some people immediately assuming that if you can’t cook up a healthy nutritious breakfast every morning before dawn for multiple kids who won’t just sit and eat it like civilised robots because they’re young kids with big feelings means you’re idle 🤯🤯

Schools have been doing free breakfast for a while now.

I do think its a good idea at least they have something in their belly

I think that it should be an equal option to be a sahp regardless of your income level or social status. If a parent wants to be a sahp it should be allowed up till school age at least. It does actually save UC money as they won’t be paying 85% of nursery fees (which are extortionate) and personally I think some dc need to be with a primary carer more and not looked after by others.

The parents of children who need it the most won’t access it. Not up early enough, too proud, children don’t want to eat it as not what they’re used to eating etc

You’re implying that parents don’t have 20p and enough sense to give their kids toast before school. Yes abuse exists but have faith in the majority of parents.

If you can't feed your child before they go to school then what the hell is wrong with you.

In wales we had free breakfast in breakfast club in my child’s primary school- cereal, fruit and toast- and all school dinners are free for primary school children. Mine had packed lunches by their choice- but it means everyone is fed, there is no stigma, so that’s got to be a good thing. Levelling the playing field for the poorest children.

It would be a better idea for all children to be offered a good selection of fruit at break time rather than processed cheap breakfast junk before school. Much healthier to have a banana, apple and satsuma than white toast for example

Another advantage of eating breakfast at home and that the children can brush their teeth afterwards.

If you want to be a SAHP great but don't expect the taxpayer to prop you up via UC

£35 a day for wraparound care here if you need pre 9am or post 3.15pm…

It should be an equal choice. Parents on UC choosing to work are costing the taxpayer a lot more as 85% of nursery fees are covered.

As I said earlier we have to do that at our school (im a TA)

It's not necessarily about providing it instead but as well as. If your child is only having a bit of toast at home they could well be hungry...

What's the problem with ensuring children aren't hungry?

Aren't we all meant to be brushing our teeth first thing now.

Totally agree if we can't afford this ..then we can't afford vanity political projects (though of course we can afford both)

If it means that children are fed, it’s a good idea. Although the reality is that teachers have been supporting children who are clearly not fed a breakfast for years. Some parents can’t or won’t feed their children before school. That’s just a reality that many of you aren’t exposed to.
A slice of toast is better than nothing. Universal breakfast clubs may mean some kids get fed twice but importantly the ones who are not aren’t singled out.
Unless you’ve supported families in abject poverty, with addictions or mental health needs, you really don’t know what their lives are like. A kindness like this really does help.