As a way of helping to boost family incomes and reduce the impact of child poverty, school communities are increasingly offering referral pathways to welfare and money advice for families. This briefing offers examples of existing pathways and makes recommendations about how we can make sure more families are able to access help in this way.
Cost of the School Day Voice network members Summer and Brooke from Ardrossan Academy and Cathy and Leland from Newton Primary school took part in a Scottish Parliament roundtable about universal free school meals. Organised by Monica Lennon MSP in collaboration with the STUC Women’s Committee and the Sunday Mail as part of the Food for Thought campaign, the learners got the chance to tell decision makers, including Jenny Gilruth, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, what they thought about universal free school meal provision and what needs to happen next.
East Ayrshire Council decided to commit funding to extend their Financial Inclusion Team and place workers in every secondary school in the authority, focusing on maximising family incomes, making sure families are receiving all the benefits and entitlements they’re eligible for. Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland worked with the financial inclusion team to deliver child poverty and rights sessions to 70 learners, helping to raise awareness of the causes of poverty in Scotland, the impact poverty can have on children’s rights and cost barriers families and pupil face at school.
Staff at Girvan Academy in South Ayrshire put a lot of thought into providing support for young people from low income families and after consulting with the whole school community they realised that they would also have to consider how they describe and promote these supports, to encourage uptake and make sure there was no stigma attached.
A learner from Trinity High School in South Lanarkshire took part in a special event in the run up to the general election, where young people asked questions direct to candidates from several major parties, and offered a chance for young people to ask questions about the things that matter to them, which included costs at school, the closure of youth clubs and services, tacking child poverty and the difficulties young people are having accessing college places.
These activities can help your group to start conversations, consider what impact poverty and costs can have on school life and think about what action you're going to take. Asking everyone about costs at your school is a great thing to do to alongside raising awareness.
These activities can help your group to start conversations, consider what impact poverty and costs can have on school life and think about what action you're going to take. This is all about how you might go about taking action.
Between 2017 and 2020 the Cost of the School Day team at Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland worked with schools and more than 700 young people in Dundee, to produce findings which supported actions like cheaper uniform suppliers, more inclusive homework policies, greater consistency in lending resources, breakfast provision, free ‘ready to learn’ packs, non-stigmatising approaches to fundraising, trip subsidies, and improved promotion of financial entitlements.
Coatbridge High School in North Lanarkshire ran an all day event focusing on the cost of living, with workshops during the day for pupils and a drop-in Cost of Living Fayre for families after school, which showcased the work of a range of organisations in the area and covered wide spectrum of supports for families.
Learners at Trinity High School have been working with teaching staff to identify costs and create a costs calendar. The calendar will help all members of the school community see where costs arise, what support is offered, and widen participation for all learners.
During Challenge Poverty Week, Irvine Royal Academy pupils interviewed their Head Teacher about what their school does to reduce costs. The aim was to raise awareness and think about what more could be done.
