One in four teachers forced to bring in food into schools to help hungry kids
One in four teachers in England brought food into schools to support hungry children during the summer term, according to an alarming new survey.
Drawing on responses from over 9,000 teachers, it also shows teachers in deprived areas are having to step in more frequently amid the cost-of-living crisis.
The survey - conducted for the charity FareShare - found 26% of teachers personally provided support to at least one pupil in the summer term due to welfare concerns. The South West region had the highest figure, with 29% of those responding bringing in food for children, according to the survey carried out by Teacher Tapp.
FareShare warned the figure could be steeper in the new school term as they urged the government to "act urgently and show it takes tackling hunger seriously". A cash injection of £25million a year, they added, could deliver the equivalent of 100 million meals in surplus food, to those experiencing food insecurity. The Mirror and the National Education Union (NEU) are also calling on the Tories to provide free school meals to every primary school pupil in England.
In a worrying sign, FareShare, which provides food to 2,000 charity and community breakfast, after school, and holiday clubs, said 1,500 organisations are on their waiting list, with 600 of them supporting school-aged children.
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George Wright, chief executive of FareShare, said: "Over the summer, staff and volunteers at FareShare have been working tirelessly to get more edible surplus food out to people who need it, as parents have faced the added burden of childcare costs and soaring food bills while their children are out of school." He added: "But despite these efforts, we still do not have enough food to meet skyrocketing demand, and teachers across the country feel they have no choice but to step in to help hungry children.
"Our teachers should be teaching, not forced to fill the gap because the Government stands by and allows this to happen all the while food goes to waste on farms, food that could be going to the millions of children and families facing food insecurity."
A government spokeswoman said: "Over a third of pupils in England now receive free school meals in education settings, compared with one in six in 2010 and we have extended eligibility several times to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. "This includes introducing new eligibility criteria for families receiving Universal Credit, to ensure even more children were eligible for a free school meal.
"We're providing record financial support worth an average £3,300 per household. We have also raised benefits in line with inflation, increased the National Living Wage and are helping households with food, energy and other essential costs."
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