Tackling Child Poverty

NIAPN hosted a workshop on “Working Together to Eradicate Poverty.” One of the sessions focused on the Cost of the School Day and Childcare, as parents are finding it hard to make ends meet with the rising costs associated with caring for and education children.

Kellie Turtle, Policy Officer at UNISON NI, spoke about the campaign for Universal Free School Meals in the context of the rising cost of the school day.

Meghan Hoyt, Women’s Resource and Development Agency, spoke about the campaign for Childcare for All, particularly in the context of the current public consultation on the Childcare Strategy.

NIAPN has long called for investment in our children. Refusing to tackle child poverty is not only immoral, but Stormont ends up spending a huge amount to address the impact of child poverty. Additionally, years of under investment in our schools and childcare has left the infrastructure of support for our children severely lacking. This is evident in the lack of provision for children with special educational needs, the lack of childcare places for 0-3 year olds, and the increase of costs that parents are expected to pay for their children to attend school.

Last year the Department for Education consulted on Free School Meals, and at the time NIAPN joined many other organisations in calling for a pathway towards an expansion to Universal Free School Meals. Whilst we see expansion in every other jurisdiction on these islands, we do not yet have a commitment from Stormont to implement this extremely popular and important policy for the health and wellbeing of our children and their families.

Add your name to the call for Free School Meals today: https://www.unison-ni.org.uk/free-school-meals-for-all