There are families who are eligible for free school meals in our authority, but who are not signed up. How can we encourage more to take up the offer?
Good nutrition is important for children’s wellbeing and learning ability. It may be better to have an authority-wide campaign to ensure all children arrive at school ready, willing and able to learn; at least in their nutrition. Often the barriers to families signing up for free meals are lack of information and stigma.
A positive campaign involving all schools – each one having a whole-school approach to promoting healthy eating – supported by an information campaign to raise awareness should help.
It is important that each school can assure you that they are sure that parents and children can sign up and receive meals without feeling shame.
Answered by Paul Clark, director of the Potential Organisation. He was director of children’s services in Harrow for seven years
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