Warning over pupils missing out on free meals during break
Kent’s poorest children could be “deprived” of free school meals if their parents are made redundant during the summer holidays.
A £120 million Covid summer food fund has been set up by the government for disadvantaged five to 16-yearolds, running from July 20 to the end of August.
However, the £90 food voucher will have to be ordered by parents seven days before the school term ends. This means claims will not be accepted after mid-July.
KCC main opposition leader, Rob Bird (Lib Dem), warned the “cut-off point” could be damaging for families who suffer job losses over the summer break.
He said: “There will be people who will become unemployed in that six weeks. I wonder if we can think about some sort of scheme within KCC for picking up those children who may be deprived of free school meals due to circumstances beyond their control.”
The £330 billion UK Government furlough scheme is due to end on October 31. But, thousands of people have already lost their jobs in the hospitality, airline and tourist sectors.
Unemployment in Kent and Medway has risen by 122% since March.
KCC’s corporate director for education, Matt Dunkley, said County Hall continues to support families through financial hardship during the pandemic.
During a scrutiny committee meeting last week, Mr
Dunkley said many parents were being directed to support bases, such as food banks. He added: “It’s not a complete safety net, but staff from KCC’s social care and early help departments are making sure food security is focused on.”
The committee was also told there had been an increase in the uptake of students applying for free school meal vouchers, rising from 17% of Kent’s 230,000 primary and secondary pupils in March to around 22%.
In June, Department for Education chiefs said that the scheme would be extended throughout the summer holidays and 1.3million children in England would be eligible.
Meanwhile, in other developments, fears have been expressed by education bosses over a potential surge in the number of “disaffected” pupils not returning to school from September.
Around 2,300 youngsters are currently home educated in Kent, but concerns have been raised thousands more will join them in three months’ time while others could be taken out of the education system altogether.
Mr Dunkley said: “There is, I suspect, going to be a looming and very large issue in September of children who do not return to school.”
Alan Brookes, the chairman of Kent Association of Headteachers, said there was a “real danger” some wouldn’t come back, adding many parents remain “nervous” about sending children to school.
Cllr Bird said some pupils have become “disaffected” with schooling and urged KCC to use its powers to ensure those who do not return get properly educated at home. But, he admitted: “It’s going to be an enormous challenge”. Several families living with disabled children have already spoken to KCC about their “fears” around the September restart.
Around 1,000 children enter and leave Kent’s education system each year.
Mr Dunkley said: “We don’t know the size of the problem that is going to hit us, but we are trying to prepare for it.” In addition, Mr Brookes warned parents who decided to go down the route of home education that the school bears “no responsibility” for their youngsters thereafter. The executive head teacher of Sittingbourne’s Fulston Manor school, warned: “Parents will be completely on their own.
“They cannot expect to be given teaching resources from schools.”