Free School Meals

[Dancing Queen]

What do you think of Nick Clegg's latest re: free school meals for all children aged 5 to 7 years?

Should we pay for the children of those well able to afford it?

The cost will run into millions !!

Take into account OAPS neglected and dying for want of food and warmth, how about putting a few million into hot meals and more help for them.

What are your thoughts.

[HK phooey]

It's Clegg the clown desperately trying to win back a few voters after the university fees debacle. Why give the meals free to children who have parents with a good income?

[Dancing Queen]

I agree Helen it is all about him winning back voters, it just seems ridiculous to me

[Southwinds]

It's bazaar just like the Pensioners winter fuel payment that goes to Elton John etc, you will have The Beckhams children getting free meals in Stansted Infants school.....

Why ?

And can somebody tell me why they can fine good parent for taking children out of school, for a holiday in term time and that little boy who was killed by his neglectful mother seemed to be ignored at school ?
The world has gone mad...

[david63]

I can see where you're coming from DQ but just because the parents of some children can afford to feed them properly does not necessarily mean that they do.

At least if these children are given a "free" school meal they will have at least one nutritious meal a day.

However school meals especially when they are free is a nightmare. My cousin runs a free school meals kitchen (well nursery actually but the principle is the same) and she says that it is virtually impossible to make sure that Johnny does not have nuts and Amin has a Hal meal and Flossy does not have any sugar etc. Apparently when they have free meals then some of the parents come with a list as long as your arm saying what their "little precious" can/can't/will/won't eat and any attempt to deviate is threatened with legal action.

[royalprincess]

Has anyone seen a school meal lately? Are they any good?

Another of Nick's vote catchers but it won't work because they will make the money available by taking it away from something else.

[oldbluefox]

Children whose parents are on a low income are entitled to free school meals anyway. It appears to be another ill thought out scheme which is going to cost a lot of money to pander to the lack of care given by feckless and self interested parents. It's about time we made them responsible for the care of their children.

As for the poor little soul who died as a consequence of neglect and cruelty I'm not sure what the situation is with the authorities but many is the time we have contacted Social Services with fears of neglect and cruelty, either because of physical/emotional signs of possible abuse or something the child has confided in us. No choice here, this was a requirement placed on us by the local authority. Social Services have then gone to the home saying the school has sent us because............ or your child has told the school............. Shortly afterwards there is a very irate parent on the doorstep or a child getting a rough time at home because of SS's attendance. If we suspected abuse we would always report it (as I presume the school would have done in this incident) but Social Services can be ham-fisted when dealing with the report and are sometimes very quick to divert blame. They do attract criticism but sometimes it is of their own making.

I would find it very difficult to believe the school had not reported their concerns through the Education Department's welfare officer.

[oldbluefox]

Having said that Social Services workers have enormous work loads and deal with some very unpleasant people. Based on my own experiences of trying to work with them I don't have a great deal of time for them but I must admit, it's a thankless task and not one I would fancy doing.

[Onelife]

This hair brained idea is on par with the coalition allowing joint income families the right to earn just under the child benefit threshold and yet claim Child benefit of £98k per annum, whereas families with a joint income just above the £50k thresholds have their benefits stopped.

Free school a meal for all children under the age of seven is in my opinion a total abuse of tax payer’s money.

Feed the ones who need it and let the others pay for it just like my mother and father had to do.

Regards

OL

[Onelife]

Sorry

...and yet claim Child benefit of £98k per annum...should read... and yet claim benefits even though they could be earning a joint income of £98K

[Dark Knight]

if you only give food to the poorer families
does that not single them out as being, well , poor?

[Manoverboard]

We used to have ' Dinner Tickets ' at our school, could we have a similar system in place in the present day ?

Better off families could buy them from the school directly and the poorer families could be issued with them for free.

The tickets would all look the same so nobody knows and the child doesn't feel disadvantaged etc.

[Dancing Queen]

Free school meals have always been around as far as I'm aware DK , I don't think it singles anyone out ( I certainly wasn't aware when I was at school of who received free meals )

I am certainly not against any child ( whatever age ) having free school meals but I do think it should be dependent on the family income / circumstances and not a "free for all"