Low-income families and disabled people were, at most, an afterthought during the pandemic, with government’s primary intention to support higher income households who had a sudden loss of income, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) told Baroness Hallett as she chaired the second preliminary hearing of Module 9 of the Covid inquiry today.
This briefing looks at the difference that local authority support and guidance can make to Cost of the School Day approaches in schools. Arlene Black, Pupil Equity Fund Officer with West Lothian Council and Cost of the School Day Lead for the local authority, describes the approach the council has taken to this work, and the impact it is having on children, families and schools.
Latest Welsh government free school meal (FSM) statistics show a fall of 6,000 in the number of children registered for means-tested FSMs in Wales. The fall in the number of children registered means that 25,000 children in poverty in secondary schools now miss out on any form of FSM.
Secondary school children from low-income families are starting the new school year bounced out of some subjects and learning by costs, research from CPAG shows.
This briefing details how the current phase of managed migration is continuing to present significant difficulties for claimants, with the result that many lose out on income and face potential hardship.
The school summer holidays should be a joyful time for children and parents. Every child deserves to laugh, play and have fun over the summer, and parents too should have the chance to enjoy making memories and spending time with their children. But CPAG research has found that millions of families anticipate struggling to afford essential items, childcare and typical summer experiences for their children over the long break.
As the long school holiday gets underway, a survey suggests low-income families face a particularly challenging summer with parents feeling more worried this year than last about being able to afford things for their children.
