A return to the days when the poorest go hungry

But Poor Kids (BBC 1, 10.35pm on 7 June) will be, must be, required viewing for everyone in children's services. Missing meals, being hungry all the time, filling up on cheap ready-made meals with too much salt and saturated fat, with too few vegetables and not enough fresh fruit - this is becoming the norm for too many children.

On the plus side, some children do receive free school meals and there are some schools still running breakfast clubs. But what happens to the most deprived children during school holidays and those who attend college?

If you don't believe the rapid and powerful effect that hunger - starvation - has, simply do the experiment and don't eat anything from the time you get up until your evening meal, and in the late afternoon try to concentrate on some difficult and intricate task. It will be an illuminating experience. Then put yourself in the position of children who are in this predicament every day. We are not far from the days when you could tell which children had unemployed parents because they were shorter and thinner than their peers - or had rickets.