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Primary education

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Original poster

Dinner money arrears

140 replies

Snowsquonk · 31/03/2011 13:08

Hello dear Mumsnetters

I am chair of governors of a primary school where we have a problem with people not paying for school dinners - a culture has been created in which most parents pay, those who can't afford are encouraged to apply for free school meals, but a small number of parents just take the mickey.

The trouble is, we say a child cannot have any more school dinners until arrears are paid off or an agreement for paying off the arrears is reached - but some parents then still send the child in without a packed lunch.

SO - what happens at your school - we are considering a policy where if a parent has not paid for a meal in advance, the child does not get one but this is primary and I don't think it's good for children to have nothing - how would you feel if your child was given a basic meal - eg, bread and butter and a piece of fruit instead of the full hot meal option - if you'd not booked and paid for the meal in advance.

What happens at your school?

Cheers!

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cookcleanerchaufferetc · 03/04/2011 10:14

My point of view is that irresponsible parents should not be allowed to get away with not paying, whether it is the school, LEA or PTA who has to bear the brunt of the missed income. The parents who do not pay should face the truth that they are crap. Stop, don't slate me yet as I am quick to add that some parents may be going through tough times but I doubt all of them are. Someone else posted that their view was that the comfortably off parents are probably those who don't pay. However, the parent should discuss this with school. No child should go hungry and Feenie, giving free fruit away to the less well of kids is fine but completely different.

If you don't pay a bill no one else is going to pay it. Why should these parents think they can get a free ride? And why should they get a free ride and be supported by other parents who may or may not be going through equally shit times financially but have the decency to pay for their kids food.

Getting on a rant here but it really pees me off that people who can't be bothered to care for their children properly should have kids.

Why should non dinner money paying parents expect others to bear the cost, not care that their actions is causing a hell of a lot of extra work and grief for the school and governors, not be worried that their kid is hungry and may be embarrassed, and basically for those who are clearly not arsed to pay, when it is substantial amounts like £135 or £185 in debt for lunches, just not give a shit?

If people are going to take a particular route which causes problems for others they should face the consequences.

cookcleanerchaufferetc · 03/04/2011 10:14

BTW Feenie, that rant was NOT aimed at you!!

FingandJeffing · 03/04/2011 10:17

This thread is so depressing. Sad for kids to have parents who either can't or won't pay. Please pursue payment if necessary though the small claims court, don't stop feeding the kids.

Feenie · 03/04/2011 10:19

My point of view is that irresponsible parents should not be allowed to get away with not paying, whether it is the school, LEA or PTA who has to bear the brunt of the missed income.

I think everyone would join you in this particular rant!

StewieGriffinsMom · 03/04/2011 10:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bellavita · 03/04/2011 10:22

I work in a secondary school.

We have a repeat offender parent who will ring up and say she hasn't got any food/money until which ever day in the week and can we feed her child (child is in Yr10 now) and she will send the money in the following week. She hardly ever does. But we still have to feed that child. We could not let a child go without food.

dikkertjedap · 03/04/2011 10:50

I agree with previous posters, that really this is a neglect issue. Maybe send the parents in question a letter that if they don't pay you consider that they are refusing to provide food for their child, which is neglect, so you will refer them to social services. Actually if possible maybe better tell that in face to face meeting with head/deputy head and only send letter if they refuse a meeting. And I would indeed refer them to social services if they don't sort it out as there may be other things going on as well if they can't be bothered to provide food for their child. Also, agree with previous poster that school should in future intervene much earlier so the debt don't reach these proportions. I assume you have offered payment plans for those with large debts and checked that they don't qualify for free school meals or suffer financial hardship?
However, whatever happens and needs to be done, the children should not feel singled out, they should always get proper lunch, and if parents don't provide lunch then unfortunately school has no choice then providing lunch to these children.

Skinit · 03/04/2011 11:14

That's what I said earlier dikkertjedap...it IS neglect and SS should be informed.

Feenie · 03/04/2011 11:29

I don't think that anyone has said that they shouldn't be, have they?

princessparty · 03/04/2011 15:30

I thgink there are 2 different scenarios here
1 where the child is 'on' school meals but the parents haven't paid This is a debt collection problem and SS wouldn't be interested

2s where a parent hasn't requested school meals, but the school give the child a school meal because child is sent with nothing, then i am not surely legally speaking that the parent could be made to pay for something they haven't consented to.This iwould say is neglect and SS should be informed

mrz · 03/04/2011 15:41

Or the scenario which seems to be what the Op refers to of the parent deliberately not paying for weeks or months on end with the expectation of the child getting a meal provided by school and the SS is very interested.

princessparty · 03/04/2011 16:23

I am very surprised ss having any interest in what is essentially a debt collection problem .perhaps that goes a long way into explaining why so may abused kids are failed by SS

mrz · 03/04/2011 16:33

Failing to provide the basic need of food to your child is abuse

Skinit · 03/04/2011 16:37

princess...not giving the money for your child to eat...OR sorting out some provision for free school meals is neglect. It smacks of not caring. A reasonable and caring parent would never let this happen.

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 03/04/2011 16:38

pp - the parents have been told no food will be provided but continue tosend the children without lunch. They are no longer 'on' school meals due to the level of arrears.

princessparty · 03/04/2011 16:39

As I have explained before if they have told the school they want their child to have school dinners then they HAVE made an arrangement. The problem is a debt collection one.Not paying bills is not child abuse

On teh other hand if they have made no arrangement for the child to be fed during teh school day then that could arguably be considered abusive

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 03/04/2011 17:03

No they haven't - the arrangement has been withdrawn by the school. Meals have to be paid for in advance and by not paying they haven't got an agreement that school will provide a meal.

mrz · 03/04/2011 17:11

princessparty do you have any experience of this situation?
As I can assure you from experience SS take it seriously

collision · 03/04/2011 17:15

Have just read the whole thread and cannot see a solution to the problem at all except that I am Flabbergasted (with a capital F) that some parents think it is OK to not pay for school meals!

As our HT said in an assembly 'You cannot go to McDonalds and get a burger and tell them you will pay tomorrow!'

The only way I can you can go with this is to tell the non paying parent that you will be informing SS as it is a form of abuse to with hold food from a child.

StealthPolarBear · 03/04/2011 17:30

Can you call them in to a meeting when they collect their child and then say "We accept a cheque, or there is a cash machine round the corner?"

mrsbiscuits · 04/04/2011 10:11

Ok we have a system that requires a school lunch to be booked and paid for the on the Thursday before and if that is not received by 12 noon on that Thursday then the parent has to provide a packed lunch. it may sound harsh but it works.

mrsbiscuits · 04/04/2011 10:12

....as for arrears if you think you are likely to get the money back then I would pursue it. If not then I think you may need to right it off and start a fresh with a new system.

princessparty · 05/04/2011 19:55

Mr Z I have been a bursar in a secondary school and the idea we could involve SS in chasing parents for school meal debts is ludicrous.not the first bizarre thing you have come out with!

mrz · 05/04/2011 20:01

Well princessparty perhaps you need to find out why parents are failing to provide food for their children as it is often one of the signs of neglect which your CP person should be recording. Of course they could be doing just that as it is their responsibility as it is mine.

spanieleyes · 05/04/2011 20:15

If a parent has been informed that, due to non payment of monies owed, no further food will be provided and they STILL do not make arrangements to pay or provide a packed lunch they are then failing to provide food for their child and this is neglect ( whether the school chooses to supply the food despite this is not the issue, it is the PARENT who has the responsibility to feed their child, not the school) and as CPO I would inform SS of the neglect ( and not of the debt collecting!)

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