Child poverty worsens in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Trade Union Council (ETUC) represents trade union branches in the City of Edinburgh and has been in operation since 1853.

Now they have produced a report, Dealing With Child Poverty in Edinburgh Schools. This is an excerpt which lays bare the conditions faced by some families:

“Schools are dealing with many aspects of poverty. Because of the parents' lack of money of schools have set up Food Banks (with food provided by teachers and local shops and supermarkets). They have set up Clothes Banks, and Breakfast Clubs which either have a nominal charge or are free. One school provided 70 breakfasts every day, financed by local businesses. Breakfast Clubs seem essential in dealing with poverty (and childminding issues due to the nature of modern work) but are not funded by The City of Edinburgh Council. Schools are struggling to include all pupils in outings, including residential trips both in Scotland and abroad. Schools sometimes have to assist children and their parent(s) in obtaining basic furniture such as beds. Schools have helped when they found out that children did not have beds (they slept in cupboards). Some pupils are suffering from sleep deprivation.

Some teachers bring food into their classes because children are not attentive due to not having eaten, possibly because they have been too late for the Breakfast Club.

"Teachers say that some disciplinary issues are simply due to hunger.”

ETUC Secretary, Des Loughney, said: " Child poverty is a serious issue for Edinburgh schools and will get worse in the future unless the City Council and the Scottish Government allocate more resources to schools."