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So since March the school meal hamper v school meal voucher issue has taught me this .
1. Families below the FSM threshold are short of c £15 per week per child.
2. Providing a hot meal at school fills a gap but doesn’t address the whole problem...
3. Like holiday hunger...
1. Families below the FSM threshold are short of c £15 per week per child.
2. Providing a hot meal at school fills a gap but doesn’t address the whole problem...
3. Like holiday hunger...
3 (cont) the fact vouchers were issued over holidays indicates that families below the threshold struggle to feed their families during school holidays...
Food hampers provide a crutch but don’t necessarily help all families. The box contents might not enable families to provide a balanced meal. This will depend on space & facilities available...
Vouchers or indeed benefits help families to make choices to suit their circumstances. It might mean purchasing ready prepared food or cooking from scratch. (No space limits choices).
So I’m of the view that the benefit system needs reform so that families have enough for food. When schools are fully open, this could be exchanged for a free school meal during term time.
Support should be there & intervention if necessary.
Support should be there & intervention if necessary.
But in short the system should enable!
