Return to Dickensian poverty?

[B00]

Following on from the link provided by DrFilth in a previous thread...

http://www.telegraph....tired-and-hungry.html

How is this allowed to happen in this day and age?

There's a paragraph that claims a 6th former (16/17- right?) hasn't eaten for 3 days!

Surely even the poorest family could cobble 40p together to buy a reduced loaf from a supermarket?

[VHG]

This is less to do with poverty and more to do with bad or missing (or busy) parents.

A "good" parent will send their child to bed a decent time, get them up in the morning at a decent time, and make sure they have a breakfast in the morning.

A bad or missing (or busy) parent will let their chld stay up as late as they like, and allow them to lie in bed in the morning until the last minute so it is a mad panic to get them ready for school and they miss breakfast (or even a decent "waking up" time).

[B00]

You think it's that simple VHG? Even the busiest parent can shove a piece of toast in their child's hand on the way to school right?

[EvianBaby]

I'm not sure that entirely relates to the poverty though VHG. Making sure your child gets a decent nights sleep does not somehow magically make cash appear in your purse.

[ummmm]

And what if they don't live within walking distance of a supermarket?

[B00]

So they aren't eating just because there's simply no shops round them? Gotcha :-)

[Old_Geezer]

I find it difficult to believe that in this day & age folk can not manage their budget to cover the essentials of living, and if it turns out they can not, that they then find no government support.

What had the mother done with the money she received last pay-day such that a low priority item, such as food, had no cash allocated to it ? If it comes to that why is a bus needed for school, do the children not go to the local one ? Indeed why have they had a family larger than they can afford anyway ?

If there is a genuine problem it needs to be addressed, but we have had a welfare system in the UK since 1945 and so I'd need some convincing these problems described are not down to the individual failure of those concerned.

[ummmm]

I didn't say that BOO....but my local shop does not offer 'reduced' goods. If they can't get to a supermarket, where are they going to get these 40p loafs?

[EvianBaby]

OG - in reference to your query over local schools, not all schools are within a spitting distance. Particularly secondary schools. The nearest one for my nephews and nieces is about 9 miles away.

I do find it hard to believe that there are peope who have no way of getting any food at all but it must be true in some cases. Even if there is no cash in the house, I thought there were charities and such that can help. But then I've never been in a position where I need to feed a child and don't have a penny to my name.

[fliptheswitch]

I don't think this has anything to do with "busy parents", more that the parent hasn't managed their finances properly, to allow them to feed their children. Awful! As B00 says, how much is a cheap loaf of bread? You can get value ranges for pennies these days... literally. What had that particular Mother spent all her money on?! I'm on a low income and sometimes struggle to juggle everything (as lots of other families do) but there's never a time when I can't feed the kids. Sometimes you just have to prioritise... and swap the gin for turkey twizlers! :D

[EvianBaby]

Part of me agrees with that but would any parent really sit happily knowing their child hadn't eaten for three days while they were spending their money on other things? I don't know.

[fliptheswitch]

Honest answer? Yes! I saw a kid just a few weeks ago, couldn't have been more than 10, in my local co-op, counting out coppers to buy a reduced sausage roll. It was gone 8 o'clock and dark. He was on his own and still dressed in his school uniform. Makes you wonder where the bloody parents are.

[Old_Geezer]

Derailing the thread a bit, but, if the nearest school in an urban area is 9 miles away the authorites are failing in their duty to child education. And I hear education is getting a large reduction in budget. Accepted there may exceptions, mainly in rural areas where the population is spread far apart and so the school has to be miles away.

[Kayless]

Poor Families still seem to able to afford cigarettes, dope, booze, tattoos and peircings. Perhaps we should stop giving them cash and start giving them food vouchers so their kids don't starve.

[Ankou]

perhaps if we are more aware of our neighbours difficulties in providing for their children, we should endeavour to help them out in a neigbourly way when times are tough? if i thought any of the children in my daughters class were living like this, i would happily but an extra loaf or pint of milk (or suchlike) to help them in troubled times.

...but would the right wingers of answerbank then criticise me and accuse those unfortunates of being sponging workshy layabouts with too many kids...?

[EvianBaby]

Flip - that doesn't really mean anything. Maybe the kid just fancied a sausage roll and raided his piggy bank. As for wearing his uniform, most of the kids I see playing around after school are still in their uniform.

[anneasquith]

maybe just maybe............... some families rely on benefits ( genuine claiments ) there is a misconception that benefits give a reasonable standard of living, thats not always the case,

[EvianBaby]

OG - There are plenty of families of low income in rural areas and you can't really expect the Gov to just plant a row of schools every couple of miles. However, I'm fairly sure the council provide buses for our kids to get to school without any payment from the parent. Perhaps this changes in different areas or once you reach 6th form level.

[fliptheswitch]

I actually agree with kayless. I would put money on the fact that, that mother (who's child hadn't eaten for 3 days) hadn't gone without fags or booze... or some other "luxury".
Evain, I disagree. No child of that age should be out alone, in the dark, buying food with loose change. If he'd had a decent dinner, then he wouldn't need to. This child actually goes to my sons school, so I know for certain it would have been a case of "needs must" as opposed to "fancying a late-night snack". But anyway, I'm digressing now and have to go. Shame, this is a good thread.

[Ankou]

"Sometimes you just have to prioritise... and swap the gin for turkey twizlers!"

is that meant to be funny ?

[EvianBaby]

Well in that case, if you know for a fact that child was out buying a sausage roll because his parents couldn't feed him due to their smoking/drinking/whatever habit taking up their funds then report them to social services.