Children Go Hungry Over The Summer Holidays

[fiction-factory]

Did anyone see Matt Alwright, matt Baker and Alex Jones- and inarticular Emma Thompson who had areal go at the government- looking at this issue yesterday.
Ther ahve also been newspaper articles eg https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-bank-donations-uk-children-hunger-summer-holidays-trussel-trust-a8475516.html

Can it be true? 4 million children go hungry? Children are noticealy losing weight? parents chhosing bewteen food for them and food for their children. They acknowledged the problem ha sexisted for hundreds of years but the 'expert' seemed sure it had got a lot worse in the last 5-6 years and austerity. was mentioned . The case stud was anurse who had to take her children atoa food club.

I can see there is a point here that if we provide free school meals to millions of children in the term time we are accepting there is a problem in term time, so perhaps help should be extended to the holidays. But I find it hard to imagine that simple meals can't be provided at an affordable cost by parents (using child benefit)- jacket potatoes, carrot and lentil soup. bananas, blackberry crumble.

When I see these case studies I often want to ask questions no-one seems to ask - like how much do you spend on tattoes or on that piece of jewellery round your neck, do your dogs not eat either or if you are a single mum does the father contribute.

Is there a real problem here or is it something we should leave parents and charities to sort out. I'd like to see a TV documentary on some cases with perhaps someone like Ann Widecomb or Edwina Currie asking questions to balance the horrified/sympathetic BBC /Emma Thompson type views..

i'm also wondering how this loss of weight that's referred to fits in with the supposed obesity issues for children- maybe it's different children.

Sorry, not really a question, jsut a collection of ramblings and observations. I wondered what others think.

[webbo3]

Funny I bet they can afford smart phones, nice tv's, sky, but not budget for some food.

[pastafreak]

Oh please, please stop pigeonholing people into some prejudiced idea of how those who are less well off spend their money. Granted there are some...but not as many as you may want to think.

[fender62]

i remember visiting the states in the 70's people on welfare got food coupons, i do not know if they still do that now, but it seemed like a good idea.

[anneasquith]

I've heard of parents on benefits actually having coloured televisions. !!!

[cassa333]

I have a friend who is a single mother of three. She was made redundant last year and claims all the relevant benefits. She pays over £900 a month rent (but perversely has a slum landlord). She pays all her bills on time every time. Her kids get new/second hand clothes when they need them and they have plenty of food In the cupboards. She manages to save a small contingency for emergencies but what she doesn’t do is drink, smoke, gamble or fritter money away.

It can be done.

[New Judge]

"I've heard of parents on benefits actually having coloured televisions. !!!"

Then, as I've always suspected, the benefits are too generous.