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Call to end school meals stigma
Some schools have separate queues for pupils receiving free meals |
A charity is calling on the government and local authorities to back a campaign to end the stigma of free school meals.
A report published on Thursday by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has revealed that up to 300,000 children eligible for a free school meal do not take up their entitlement.
It says that sometimes, this is because of the stigma attached to having free school meals, and the fear of bullying or teasing.
The take-up of free school meals is particularly bad in certain areas. The charity says that in some London boroughs, more than a third of pupils miss out on meals to which they are entitled.
And as many as 40% of secondary school pupils in the North East who are entitled to free meals do not taken them up.
The charity wants all pupils entitled to free school meals to feel able to accept them.
The charity wants more pupils to be entitled to free meals |
A spokesman said: "An example of good practice is the use of swipe cards, allowing pupils to pay for school meals using a cashless, electronic-based system.
"Parents who have to pay send a cheque or cash which is credited to the system."
Investing in children's health
The CPAG report also shows that one million school children living in poverty have to pay for school meals, adding to financial pressures on low-income families.
It reveals that one in 10 parents who have to pay do not do so, because they consider the meals too expensive.
Currently, only parents whose children receive income support or income-based jobseekers' allowance are entitled to free school meals.
The charity is now calling for free meals to be extended to children whose parents in low paid employment receive the new working families' tax credits.
CPAG Director Martin Barnes said: "A school meal can make an important contribution to healthy eating, particularly for children in low income families.
"Improving take-up and extending eligibility for free school meals would be an investment in the health and education of the nation's poorest children."
A spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Employment said: "We are already working with CPAG to look at the reasons why some children do not take up their entitlement to free school meals.
"We have no plans to extend free school meals. The working families' tax credit already contains compensation for the fact that recipients do not get free school meals for their children.
"The government is committed to eradicating child poverty within 20 years."
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06 Jul 99 | Education |
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26 Apr 99 | Education |
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04 Mar 99 | Education |
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