Increase in the amount of teenagers going hungry during the summer holidays, National Education Union poll finds

Wednesday, 1 August 2018 00:01

A snapshot survey of 657 secondary teachers by the National Education Union shows the growing concern amongst teachers that young people are not getting enough food to eat over the summer holidays. Teachers said they thought holiday hunger is affecting more children now than 3 years ago and there was a strong concern that local initiatives designed to tackle it – including food banks – are not equipped to meet demand....Request free trial

· More than half (59%) of NEU members polled confirmed that children in their school experienced holiday hunger.
· 77% of respondents said that in the last three years the situation in their school had either got worse (51%) or stayed the same (26%).
· When asked about local provision outside of school designed to tackle holiday hunger, teachers pointed to food banks (50%), charitable/voluntary organisations (26%) and faith groups (19%).
· 59% felt that the combined provision in their area was insufficient to tackle holiday hunger. By contrast, just 5% thought that it would be enough.

Amongst the additional comments on the survey, members said:

“Too many people don’t know how to get to those provisions and less funding and donations means less food available for families.”

“I don’t think everyone that needs help uses or is aware of the help available. Services are overstretched as it is.”

“I see children come back to school in September looking visibly less well nourished.”

“There is no co-ordination and often these families fall into the divide and suffer badly.”

“We have 51% [of students on] free school meals and I’ve seen no local provision.”

“When many of our children are struggling to get enough food during term time (when over 50% get at least one good meal per day as they are FSM), the problem will obviously be exacerbated during the holidays.”

Commenting on the findings, Ros McNeil, Assistant General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

“Teachers are acutely aware of the devastating effects of holiday hunger on children’s mental and physical wellbeing. Such extensive poverty simply should not exist in a country with the fifth-largest economy. Food banks, faith groups and charitable/voluntary organisations are now being left to pick up the pieces where central Government has failed. Indeed, rather than fix the problem of child poverty, the Government has instead attempted to redefine it.

“Of the services available, demand will clearly outstrip supply. It is shameful that the safety net is so threadbare. The Government must take steps to tackle the issue of holiday hunger through properly funded and resourced programmes. Given the scale of the problem the Government’s announcement of £2 million additional funds to help disadvantaged children with food and fun over the holidays, while welcome, goes nowhere near far enough to tackle the desperate plight of families and children.”

Editor’s Note

The survey was sent out over the weekend of 28-29 July.

Do you think that children in your school experience ‘holiday hunger’, i.e. their families are unable to afford enough food during the summer break (Single choice)
	%
Yes	59%
No	12%
Not Sure	29%

What is your opinion of the situation with holiday hunger in your school in the last three years? (Single choice)
	%
It’s got better	1%
It’s about the same	26%
It’s got worse	51%
Not sure	22%

Are you aware of any local provision, outside of your school, which is designed to tackle holiday hunger, and if so, who runs it? (Multiple choice)
	%
Charitable/voluntary organisation	26%
Faith group	19%
Food bank	50%
Local authority	4%
Other organisation	3%
Not aware of any other provision	42%

In your opinion, does the combination of provision inside and outside your school meet local need in your school’s area? (Single choice)
	%
Yes	5%
No	59%
Not Sure	36%

ENDS

Note to editors:

â— The National Education Union stands up for the future of education. It brings together the voices of more than 450,000 teachers, lecturers, support staff and leaders working in maintained and independent schools and colleges across the UK, to form the largest education union in Europe.

â— It is an independent, registered trade union and professional association, representing its members in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

â— The National Education Union is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and Education International (EI). It is not affiliated to any political party and seeks to work constructively with all the main political parties.