Child poverty ... its causes and what we should do ...

I'm really not surprised that poor children come to school ill-fed, ill-clothed and tired ... it's not a new issue, although the recession and unemployment may have incresaed the problem. But schools serving areas of high unemployment, and others, have been doing a huge amount to ameliorate the problems caused by poverty - breakfast clubs, ensuing take-up of free school meals, homework clubs, family education, subsidised uniforms; the list goes on, and the evidence is clear; it makes a difference. I can recall one school on a deprived estate with chronic inter-generational unemployment where a brilliant new headteacher impacted on the whole community to reduce the effects of economic disadvantage. But ... but ... it all costs money, time and effort, and even then the outcomes in terms of Key Stage assessments and GCSE passes are likely to be lower than elsewhere. There is already supplementary funding through deprivation elenents of the local funding formula, and perhaps the pupil premium will help ... but the efficiencies to be made, the cuts in youth services and extended schools' funding, and pressures on children's centres, not to mention children's social care, are all making life more difficult for professionals working to support these communities. Having said that, while I agree with the Prime Minister that long-term unemployment is the biggest scourge, I just don't belive that changing the benefits system will by itself do what is needed, as without jobs to go to, people will remain unemployed and their childern will lose out. So it's the economy, stupid. In the meantime, we must prioritise those children who are in actual poverty now, whether they are in schools serving disadvantaged populations, or they are the one child in a class on free school meals.