1 yr. ago • 98%

Most English schools handing out clothes and food to children

www.theguardian.com Most English schools handing out clothes and food to children

Survey finds cost of living crisis has increased both number of children needing extra support and level of need

49 comments

And let me just point out the cost of living crisis is entirely artifical. We have enough stuff, the 1%ers just don't want to share

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- Cost of Capitalism crisis*
  
  11
- Share what exactly? How do you expect to share a mansion to buy some school uniforms, for example?
  
  -10
  
  Mansions don't fall from the sky, they are built. To build a mansion you have to spend money. If you don't spend your money on a mansion, you can use it for something else, like school uniforms.
  
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  We need more wealth taxes, increased public spending, and wage increases for the public sector and the lowest paid jobs. And we really need to be putting serious effort into introducing some kind of universal income. That's how you share wealth.
  
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My kid just started secondary school the cost of their uniform is fucking ridiculous. Easily running into the 100s.

They needed socks with the schools logo on it. Absolutely ridiculous.

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- It's about time we abandoned school uniforms altogether, it's a burden on both parents and teachers.
  
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  I'm in two minds about school uniform. I don't like the concept in general, but in my own personal experience, I was glad we did have it. We didn't have much money, and my mum was really strict about western clothes. I would have been picked on for not having any designer clothes/branded trainers (good old 90s) and wearing Indian clothes.
  
  We didn't have those stupid logo rules though. As long as it was the right colour and we had a school badge attached to the jumper, it was fine.
  
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  The idea is break the class divide so rich people don't have better clothes etc. and also create a sense of belonging. Which I don't totally disagree with.
  
  But due to cost that's exactly what happens as poorer people buy second hand.
  
  I would be happy if each school picked from a selection of colours and then you could buy them from anywhere creating decent competition for sales.
  
  9
- My son is in primary school, but they’re pretty chill. Must be a red jumper, but doesn’t need the school logo. The standard, must be grey pants, black shoes, grey socks etc… but at the end of the year he’s usually grown out of his current pair of shoes, so for the last 2 weeks he’s in trainers because we don’t want to buy new shoes for 2 weeks that he’ll have likely grown out of before the next school year - they completely understand.
  
  12
- I'd be maliciously compliant and draw the logos on
  
  8
- I thought they'd made that practice illegal?
  
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  The guidence is to provide as few branded items as possible.
  
  I'm actually going to report my kids school as literally every item is branded. Including the fucking socks! SOCKS!!!
  
  But it only came in a year ago and allows for existing contracts to be completed.
  
  9
- How do they even check that?
  
  4
  
  Maybe they're in Manchester 👀
  
  1
- Cheaper to homeschool rather than buy all the uniforms and fancy socks. Am I joking? Am I?
  
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This is the best summary I could come up with:

Schools are handing out clothing and food to children amid the cost of living crisis, while teachers report deteriorating hygiene among pupils as families cut back on brushing teeth, showering and even flushing the toilet.

More than 80% of senior leaders told researchers that cost-of-living pressures had increased both the number of children in need of additional support and the level of need, particularly in the most disadvantaged schools.

The NFER report, published on Thursday, paints an alarming picture of hungry, ill-kempt children whose lives are being profoundly affected – their basic needs unmet – as their parents struggle.

Teachers told researchers they were worried that some children in special schools did not have vital specialist equipment including wheelchairs and mobility aids.

One teacher in a mainstream school said: “So many of our students are struggling with behaviour and mental health issues because life is harder outside school.” Another added: “The worst thing is the hidden poverty and the fact that we cannot support everyone.

Jenna Julius, the NFER research director and co-author of the report, said the cost of living crisis was having a profound impact on pupils and families.

The original article contains 689 words, the summary contains 191 words. Saved 72%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

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Schools are also providing free meals and access to hardship funds for teachers who can’t survive on their salaries.

UK is a horror show of increasing poverty across the board.

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