Laura Rodrigues
Free school meals are a crucial form of financial support for many low income families with around a million children receiving them. They also promote healthy eating by providing a nutritious lunch for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The benefits of having had a healthy, hot meal at lunchtime on children’s behaviour and educational attainment cannot be denied. For some children this is the only good meal they will have in the day.
However, there are several issues with both the current eligibility criteria and delivery of Free School Meals. There has long been a stigma attached to Free School Meals with some children being singled out and bullied for receiving them. Moreover, current eligibility criteria means that parents who work more than 16 hours per week lose eligibility for Free School Meals for their children.
