Offering cost reducing support for families can only make a difference if they know that it exists and feel comfortable accessing it. These case studies offer insights into how different schools share information with pupils, parents and carers about support, in a non stigmatising way.
Specialised staff members are a key part of some school's communication strategy, and can be particularly good at keeping in touch with families who can be harder to reach. Wallace High School in Stirling and The Rainbow Family Centre in Inverclyde have experience of building relationships and trust through face to face engagement.
How some schools are overcoming challenges to encouraging school meal uptake and ensuring that children and young people use their free meal allowance.
Margaret Johnstone, the Support Services Coordinator at Balwearie High School in Fife, feels that making sure that everyone has eaten is a key part of the school's responsibility for its young people.
Lots of schools have decided to run breakfast clubs, knowing that they help children to have a better start to the day. There is no one way to approach setting up a breakfast club, funding and running it however, and in this case study there are ideas about how this has worked in several different settings.
These case studies describe how uniform policy which is mindful of costs and developed in collaboration with the whole school can really take the pressure off families.
Schools who offer a range of support for families living on lower incomes have also put thought into how this help can be promoted to boost uptake. Balwearie High School in Fife and Braes High School in Falkirk have both found multiple ways to get the message out to parents and carers.
To help reduce the cost of the school day Kirkintilloch High School, East Dunbartonshire, bought a big cabinet for stationery and other products students might need, and put it where everyone has access.
