The Guardian view on child poverty: free school meals are a help, but not a panacea | Editorial
IT -Eileen Wilkenson, Minister of Education in the Athi government, was the one It was announced in 1946 Free school dinner will be offered, along with free school milk, at the same time that the child benefits from. No doubt Rachel Reeves, which has a picture of Lilkinson on Her office wallI was aware of this – and also that the cabinet later decided that the policy was not carrying. The meals were supported instead.
Despite these initial fees, and the high prices later, the poorest children have acquired, and they maintain free school meals. Announcing last week that this extends in England to all those who call their parents or comprehensive credit providers – instead of limiting families less than an income of less than 7,400 pounds sterling – Opponents. Ensuring a hot lunch in the middle of the school day makes the lives of students better. Children can not be expected to learn when they do not have enough to eat. This may seem clear, but it can be easily forgotten. Scotland and Northern Ireland already have more generous rules.
The ministers clearly hope that this is a common policy, because they are preparing Review of spending this week React to it. Hunger in schools The spread is concerned, and the enthusiastic reception of Marcus Rashford’s campaign about school foods showed that this is a reason for general warmth. Long before the elections last year, breakfast clubs were a pioneering work policy. They are now part of the Bridge Philipson Schools Bill.
But as with breakfast clubs, some schools said they said It cannot be delivered On the budget provided, good financial intentions should not be hidden. Indeed, the Institute of Financial Studies has Challenge the government’s claim 100,000 children will be raised from poverty. He said this can only be expected in the long run. And some children who are already entitled to obtain free meals they do not receive – the claim It calls for automatic registration.
Another unites the quality of food, which was eroded by a series of inflation financing without inflation. Free lunch meals are served to all students until the age of seven. But it was recently announced 3P climbing In support for this (from 2.58 pounds to 2.61 pounds per meal), it was truly criticized to force school leaders to reduce their lunch offer, or make discounts elsewhere. The average actual cost of school lunch is 3.16 pounds.
Twenty years after the Fourth Channel TV series Jimmy School dinner The dependence of kitchens on unwanted food has turned into a national issue, which is frustrated that the resources remain very small. Childhood obesity and Dental health They are serious problems, especially in the poorest parts of the country where it is difficult to reach treatment. Mrs. Philipson and her colleagues should be more ambitious in quality and quantity. Improvements can contribute to the well -being of children in general, as well as nutrition. Meals are social events, not only to stop fuel.
But retreat from the table and the biggest picture appeared. Schools cannot treat child poverty, in which poor meals are symptoms, by schools alone. This means reducing the lifting of family income through the interest system – as well as an attempt to reinforce Wage growth. Earlier this year, some The Labor Party warned School food risk becomes sop. This danger did not disappear. The latest announcement of free lunch meals is good news as long as it does not distract him from the efforts made to remove the ceiling of bilateral benefits, or to weaken the broader campaign against children’s poverty.
