Uniforms, trips, school lunches, gym kits, pencils and pens, and dress down days can be difficult to afford for low-income families. When children and young people can’t take part in opportunities because of cost, they miss out and feel excluded, and it is harder for them to learn, achieve and be happy at school. 

If all of your friends or people you know go to the after school clubs, school trips, that kind of isolates you from them. You're singled out, you're not with them, just a spare person.

Boy - age 15

We work with children and young people, parents and school staff to find out where problems lie for children from low income households, how their school participation and experiences are affected by costs, and which current and potential policies and practices could help to prevent these problems arising.