There have been calls for free school meals to be reformed as many children in poverty are currently not eligible, it has emerged. The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People has expressed concerns over the current eligibility criteria, highlighting serious discrepancies that prevent many children in poverty from accessing essential support.
The most recent government poverty statistics show that one in four children (25%) are currently living in poverty, meaning over 100,000 children in Northern Ireland are going without basic necessities as their parents can't afford them. If a child is eligible for free school meals, they would get a free lunch during the school day.
However, a recent report commissioned by NICCY and produced by Dr. Nicole Gleghorne of Queen’s University Belfast reveals that 41% of children living in poverty are not eligible for free school meals. Nearly two in five children living in poverty do not qualify for FSMs, primarily affecting working families that do not receive state benefits.
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The study also revealed only about one in three children eligible for FSMs are living in poverty. This indicates that approximately two-thirds of those who qualify for FSM are not living in poverty, according to government statistics. These findings underscore that the existing criteria are failing to accurately target the most vulnerable children.
Currently, FSM eligibility is tied to families receiving specific benefits, which excludes many working families who struggle financially yet do not claim benefits.
The proposed increase in the income threshold for free school meal eligibility would result in only a marginal increase in access for children in poverty— from 59% at an income threshold of £14,000 to just 62% at £17,000. This highlights the urgent need for a more fundamental revision of the eligibility criteria.
Currently, FSM eligibility is tied to families receiving specific benefits, which excludes many working families who struggle financially yet do not claim benefits.
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Chris Quinn, said: "The need for reform is clear. NICCY strongly recommends that we move towards providing free school meals for all children given the impact this would have on children’s health, education and wellbeing.
"Furthermore, current eligibility does not serve as an accurate measure of poverty. This needs urgently addressed given its use in relation to provision of uniform grants and targeting additional ‘extended schools’ funding for schools, to tackle educational disadvantage associated with poverty.
“We believe that a fundamental rethinking of how we approach FSM eligibility is critical to ensuring that all children in poverty receive the support they deserve. This would remove the requirement for families to be in receipt of benefits, and instead focus entirely on income levels, taking account of family size.”
To read the full paper visit Briefing on Free School Meals (FSM) eligibility in Northern Ireland - NICCY
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