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School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

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AsleepInYorkshire
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School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#350578

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » October 25th, 2020, 7:55 pm

School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'
"I find it hard to remember ever having a cooked meal at home," says Danielle, who relied on free school meals as a child.

AiY

dealtn
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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#350611

Postby dealtn » October 25th, 2020, 11:12 pm

I'm not sure what this article is trying to say. It seems to say quite a lot about the past, and how things were then, but is very light on describing what the issue is today, what the Government is doing about it, and why that might be inappropriate (or not).

If I were cynical I would be thinking the article is attempting to portray the poverty of the past as being applicable today. I would hope that wasn't the aim of the piece, but I'm really not sure. It's more likely it's just a sloppy piece of journalism than an agenda piece, but others may have alternative opinions.

AsleepInYorkshire
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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#350615

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » October 25th, 2020, 11:27 pm

dealtn wrote:I'm not sure what this article is trying to say. It seems to say quite a lot about the past, and how things were then, but is very light on describing what the issue is today, what the Government is doing about it, and why that might be inappropriate (or not).

If I were cynical I would be thinking the article is attempting to portray the poverty of the past as being applicable today. I would hope that wasn't the aim of the piece, but I'm really not sure. It's more likely it's just a sloppy piece of journalism than an agenda piece, but others may have alternative opinions.

From the little I've read this evening I'm not sure I'm aware of how large the problem is. I accept journalists, politicians and statisticians are all great with presenting facts to suit their latest argument but I think there may be some genuine "food poverty" in the UK and I suspect from what little I've read this evening it's not limited to a minority. I come from a reasonably affluent market town but 6 miles away the contrast is very real and it's probable that Covid 19 isn't helping.

AiY

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#653937

Postby XFool » March 16th, 2024, 1:41 pm

‘Desperate neglect’: teachers washing clothes and finding beds as poverty grips England’s schools

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/mar/16/desperate-neglect-teachers-washing-clothes-and-finding-beds-as-poverty-grips-englands-schools

Schools risk being overwhelmed by hungry, exhausted children from freezing homes, headteachers and campaigners warn

• ‘If a child is hungry, it doesn’t matter if you’re a bloody good teacher’

"Schools are finding beds, providing showers for pupils and washing uniforms as child poverty spirals out of control, headteachers from across England have told the Observer.

School leaders said that as well as hunger they were now trying to mitigate exhaustion, with increasing numbers of children living in homes without enough beds or unable to sleep because they were cold. They warned that “desperate” poverty was driving problems with behaviour, persistent absence and mental health.
"

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654168

Postby ukmtk » March 17th, 2024, 7:45 pm

As far as I'm aware poverty is a lot more common in this country than one would reasonably expect.
It seems ridiculous that we are supposedly one of the wealthiest countries in the world and have children going to school hungry.

There was a greater safety net when I was growing up 50 years ago.
Our standard of living improved AFTER my dad died - he was bringing home so little money. :(
I was on free school meals - they were quite nutritionally balanced.

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654171

Postby Lootman » March 17th, 2024, 7:51 pm

ukmtk wrote:As far as I'm aware poverty is a lot more common in this country than one would reasonably expect. It seems ridiculous that we are supposedly one of the wealthiest countries in the world and have children going to school hungry.

Is there any data on those families claiming poverty and hunger,and presumably drawing welfare, who also smoke, drink alcohol, gamble, have a satellite or streaming subscription, have a laptop or smartphone, run a car, take foreign holidays, go to Starbucks or buy takeaway food rather than cook at home?

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654175

Postby ukmtk » March 17th, 2024, 8:00 pm

I don't know.
The children would still suffer given the parents' poor choices.
Most children can't influence their parents behaviour.

I can remember a Conservative minister complaining about people on benefits in the 80s spending 10% of their income on ciggies.
A I smoked at the time my retort was "obviously they're not getting enough money"!

Liz Truss spent a few thousand pounds of our money on a single meal for a few people.
Her excuse was that it was the only place open at the time.
My response (to the radio) was "I'm sure there was a 24 hour McDonalds open"!

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654243

Postby didds » March 18th, 2024, 9:15 am

ukmtk wrote:Liz Truss spent a few thousand pounds of our money on a single meal for a few people.
Her excuse was that it was the only place open at the time.
My response (to the radio) was "I'm sure there was a 24 hour McDonalds open"!



Was it Truss' flight that spent £1400 a head on food?

True -nm the air there is nowhere else available.

When you are in a NHS hospital bed unable to move there are no alternatives either. You get toast and a yoghurt for breakfast, a host meal of sorts at lunch, and a sandwich, fruit and yoghurt or similar for supper. I know because Ive been there in the last 15 months.

I'm sure that flight's inhabitants could have survived on similar.

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654244

Postby didds » March 18th, 2024, 9:16 am

ukmtk wrote:The children would still suffer given the parents' poor choices.
Most children can't influence their parents behaviour.



Indeed. Glaringly obvious of course.

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654246

Postby XFool » March 18th, 2024, 9:22 am

Lootman wrote:
ukmtk wrote:As far as I'm aware poverty is a lot more common in this country than one would reasonably expect. It seems ridiculous that we are supposedly one of the wealthiest countries in the world and have children going to school hungry.

Is there any data on those families claiming poverty and hunger,and presumably drawing welfare, who also smoke, drink alcohol, gamble, have a satellite or streaming subscription, have a laptop or smartphone, run a car, take foreign holidays, go to Starbucks or buy takeaway food rather than cook at home?

Are there no workhouses?

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654269

Postby 88V8 » March 18th, 2024, 10:26 am

XFool wrote:
Lootman wrote:Is there any data on those families claiming poverty and hunger,and presumably drawing welfare, who also smoke, drink alcohol, gamble, have a satellite or streaming subscription, have a laptop or smartphone, run a car, take foreign holidays, go to Starbucks or buy takeaway food rather than cook at home?

Are there no workhouses?

I heard on R4 this morning that Councils are spending two thirds of their income - or perhaps three quarters wasn't paying attention - on 'essential' adult and child services.
Yesterday on R4, anent disfunctional early years children, there was some Labourite responding to a comment about the filthy state of a parent's bathroom, suggesting that they 'could not afford to buy cleaning materials'. Of course it could not possibly be the fault of the parent(s), obviously they should have more of someone else's money thrown at them.

Istm that something akin to workhouses &/or sterilisation might usefully become a part of the prescribed Council armoury.

V8

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654284

Postby XFool » March 18th, 2024, 11:29 am

88V8 wrote:Istm that something akin to workhouses &/or sterilisation might usefully become a part of the prescribed Council armoury.

V8

Says it all, really...

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654296

Postby didds » March 18th, 2024, 12:14 pm

Of course it could not possibly be the fault of the parent(s), obviously they should have more of someone else's money thrown at them.


Or of course maybe they really don't have sufficient money given the rises in food costs, energy costs etc etc etc of late.

Amazing concept i appreciate and easily missed.

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654298

Postby didds » March 18th, 2024, 12:18 pm

88V8 wrote:I heard on R4 this morning that Councils are spending two thirds of their income - or perhaps three quarters wasn't paying attention - on 'essential' adult and child services....



Istm that something akin to workhouses &/or sterilisation might usefully become a part of the prescribed Council armoury.

V8



Or maybe as a nation the UK needs to address the underlying reasons why so much needs be spent on adult and child services. radical idea.

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654314

Postby XFool » March 18th, 2024, 1:13 pm

didds wrote:Or maybe as a nation the UK needs to address the underlying reasons why so much needs be spent on adult and child services. radical idea.

Well, if that means what it says, rather than "Just spend less, regardless!" I could agree.

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654320

Postby Lootman » March 18th, 2024, 1:29 pm

didds wrote:
88V8 wrote:I heard on R4 this morning that Councils are spending two thirds of their income - or perhaps three quarters wasn't paying attention - on 'essential' adult and child services....

Istm that something akin to workhouses &/or sterilisation might usefully become a part of the prescribed Council armoury.

Or maybe as a nation the UK needs to address the underlying reasons why so much needs be spent on adult and child services. radical idea.

Doesn't the idea come from the original Beveridge aim of vanquishing Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness?

Of course there is still plenty of all of those, especially ignorance and idleness. Beveridge envisaged a welfare state being funded by National Insurance. But that has grown to be over 20% of pay and still is not enough.

His heart was in the right place 80 years ago but I doubt that even he envisaged what a monster it would become. A bottomless pit of need.

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654321

Postby XFool » March 18th, 2024, 1:36 pm

XFool wrote:
didds wrote:Or maybe as a nation the UK needs to address the underlying reasons why so much needs be spent on adult and child services. radical idea.

Well, if that means what it says, rather than "Just spend less, regardless!" I could agree.

One thought occurs: "Could it be such adult and child services are among those mandated a council spend on?" In which case, as they spend less and less on other services - austerity, don't you know? - it necessarily means any mandated services will form a greater and greater proportion of council spending over time.

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50120/public_health/2419/mandated_services

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#654322

Postby XFool » March 18th, 2024, 1:37 pm

Lootman wrote:
didds wrote:Or maybe as a nation the UK needs to address the underlying reasons why so much needs be spent on adult and child services. radical idea.

Doesn't the idea come from the original Beveridge aim of vanquishing Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness?

Indeed it does.

But the Conservatives have spent 14 years working on that...

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Re: School meals: 'I remember going to bed with hunger pains'

#655101

Postby ukmtk » March 21st, 2024, 7:12 pm

You’ve heard stories of poverty in Britain. Now here’s the irrefutable evidence of a society failing its poorest


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/21/poverty-britain-society-failing-poorest-people


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