“It’s compulsory to be at school, so it should be compulsory to be fed!”

Donna Coyle and Michelle Clancy of the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network’s lived experience panel joined others to discuss the importance of tacking food insecurity at the Trussell conference on “Pathways to End the Need for Food Banks.” They spoke about the campaign we have initiated on the Cost of the School Day, as the cost of going to school is a massive expense, and often a hardship, for families.

Below is the text of the presentations from Donna and Michelle:

“My name is Donna and I volunteer with the Focus Project in Derry and am a participant with the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network’s lived experience panel. We have been doing work around the cost of the school day. We know that school is a major expense for parents and families.

The Focus project runs a school uniform scheme in the summer for new and pre-loved uniform items. It was started because so many families around us struggle every year to buy uniforms. Considering a blazer can cost 70 odd pound, our scheme sells them for 3-5 pound. I volunteer at the scheme and have seen just how much it means to families – whether they are working or not – to be able to get school uniforms covered to be able to afford other items.

But uniforms are not the only expense. With NIAPN, we created these postcards to send to the Minister of Education about how expensive sending kids to school is for families. Families are drowning in the constant costs – schools constantly asking for money. It is too much, but none of us want to see our kids go without.

We brainstormed all of the costs and talked about how they impact us. Such as – school uniforms, PE kits, school shoes, school meals, lap tops, internet access and devices at home, after school clubs, secret Santa, school photos, art supplies, “voluntary contributions”, dress up days, locker fees, taxis and transport to school, music lessons, swimming lessons, breakfast clubs, art supplies, teacher gifts… and the list goes on.”

I don’t think a child should go hungry over the cost of living crisis and you have the cheek to be charging for school meals when you sit up in your office getting a pay raise.

– Secondary school student’s message on their postcard to Minister Givan

I work full time and my child is not entitled to free meals or the uniform grant. This is a huge stress to me daily and when my son needs a new uniform.

– A parent’s message on their postcard to Minister Givan

I think the cost of the school day should be free because then I would get a hot dinner every day.

– Second Year student’s message on their postcard to Minister Givan

I missed a class trip because my mom didn’t have money.

-Secondary school student’s message on their postcard to Minister Givan

My name is Michelle and I also work with NIAPN and the Focus Project. I am from Derry and our council area has the highest rate of child poverty across the North. We know there are hungry kids that aren’t getting.

I think it is important for every kid to get a free school meal because whether a parent is working or not. It might be the only hot meal a child might be getting all day. The price of everything has risen and people working are feeling the pinch. The criteria for getting free school meals is so low, that so many people on Universal Credit still don’t get it. They don’t get help with the cost and with the uniform grant.

The North is the only place on these islands that doesn’t have any universal free school meals. In Scotland, Wales and Republic of Ireland they have expanded free school meals across primary school and even in England they have extended from nursery to P2 and to everyone on Universal Credit. While announcements have been made in other places, our price for dinners went up – with only a months notice. It is now – £15.50 a week per child in primary school. So, if you have three children, before even buying groceries for your own house, you are out more than £45 a week.

My own child’s school provides free dinners for all children in the month of January. They do this through fundraising themselves. For the month of January, families can have a wee day out, or put it away for an unexpected bill. Or even put extra electric or gas for the month. Everyone is skint in January, so it takes a lot of pressure off the household. In the month of January, it means that there is no difference between the children at the school – as they will all get a hot meal.  My child’s principal told me that she feels more like she is running a charity than a school. It just isn’t fair on principals, students or families, as the shortfall has to be made up somewhere.

We know that many principals and dinner ladies wont let kids go hungry, and school rack up bills with the department. So, it doesn’t make sense that we don’t feed children.

It’s compulsory to be at school, so it should be compulsory to be fed.

-Secondary school student’s message on their postcard to Minister Givan

No child should feel socially disadvantaged amongst their peers. Free school meals for all and remove the stigma from unemployed parents.

– A message to Minister Givan

I think it is a disgrace that any government would expect any parent to pay for school meals. Wise Up.

– A parent’s message on their postcard to Minister Givan

The Trussell Conference on Pathways to End the Need for Foodbanks outlined the factors and realities that causes people to turn to food banks, as well as the much needed space to discuss the structural reforms needed to decrease food insecurity for people.