Peter Shreeve of the NEU shares this latest news. Ed
Today, Wednesday 3rd July 2019 the Work and Pensions Committee and Education Committee are meeting together in Parliament to investigate the problems around school holiday poverty.
They are aware that school holidays can place additional burdens on families. Low-income parents are at particular risk of experiencing financial difficulties at this time, because of extra childcare costs and the absence of free school meals.
Loss of free school meals adds £30-£40 pw for parents
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hunger’s Hungry Holidays 2017 report cited research estimating that the loss of free school meals adds between £30 and £40 per week to parents’ outgoings during school holidays.
The report also estimated that up to three million children are at risk of going hungry in the school holidays — one million children who receive free school meals during term time, and another two million children who are ineligible for free school meals but are growing up in households in in-work poverty.
Childcare costs
Childcare provision and costs can also be challenging for families during holidays, so they will also look at how successful the Government’s 30 hours free childcare offer for three and four-year-olds is working in practice.
34.3 per cent of Island children living in poverty
Peter Shreeve, joint local secretary said of this report:
“We are pleased to see Government looking again at holiday poverty.
“However, despite locally supported initiatives such as the Red Box Project and the 6 food banks, holiday hunger is growing.
“According to End Child Poverty (May 2019 figures) there are 9,679 children on the Isle of Wight living in poverty. That’s 34.3 per cent of children, or over ten students in a class of 30! That is an increase on last year’s figures of 29.5% or nine students in a class.
“Hunger and poverty are having “a detrimental effect” on pupil education and affects their ability to concentrate and make progress. Financial hardship impacts on being able to buy essential school items such as PE kit, school uniform or basic stationery.
“We are looking forward to reading their conclusions and trust their recommendations will go some way to alleviate this issue.”
Image: sambeckwith Image: gdsteam under CC BY 2.0
