CHILDREN’S CHARITY Barnardo’s has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, urging the government to ‘turn the tide’ on child health.
It warns without urgent action, British children will continue to fall behind their European peers, with rising obesity, tooth decay, and long-term health issues such as diabetes.
In a strongly worded letter, seen by this paper, Barnardo’s CEO, Lynn Perry, calls for a major overhaul of the way the UK tackles children’s nutrition. And while she backs a government pledge to create the ‘healthiest generation ever’ she warns current efforts are not enough.
Her letter highlights how factors like poverty are leaving children shorter, more overweight, and unhappier than ever before. And it points out without immediate intervention, youngsters will face a lifetime of health struggles.
Although Barnardo’s welcomes new breakfast clubs under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, it insists the government must urgently step up its efforts to address a nutrition crisis.
The letter unveils new groundbreaking research pinpointing the biggest barriers stopping children from accessing a healthy diet.
It calls for five key changes:
Investing junk food taxes into making healthy food more accessible to those who need it.
Updating the NHS ‘Eatwell Guide’ – updating government dietary advice to reflect modern society.
Boosting voucher schemes that help pregnant women and young children on the lowest incomes afford healthy basics.
Expanding free school meals and breakfast clubs – ensuring more children benefit from high-quality, healthy school food.
Supporting communities to promote good nutrition – using local initiatives like food partnerships to encourage healthy eating.
Ms Perry has requested an urgent meeting with the Health Secretary to discuss how Barnardo’s and the government can work together to improve child health. She warns that failure to act now will doom another generation to ill health and inequality.
“We share your commitment to prevention and tackling the root causes of poor health,” she writes. “But we need bold action, not just words.”
The news comes alongside a new campaign to widen eligibility for free school meals.
The charity, School Food Matters, will write to dozens of MP’s highlighting research showing one in four teachers have personally bought food for hungry students this academic year or know a colleague who has. In areas with higher levels of deprivation, that figure soars to 33 percent.
Backed by celebrities including Jamie Oliver, the charity is calling for free school meals to be expanded to all primary school children.
At present parents in England have to be earning under £7,400 a year after tax to qualify and the charity says this leaves a million of the poorest children a year without access. The letters will be targeted at MP’s in areas where its research shows children are most affected.
The letter will argue feeding children properly leads to improved attendance, better pupil concentration and outcomes as well as reduced inequalities.
Parents in England have to be earning under £7,400 a year after tax to qualify and the charity will say this leaves a million of children a year without access. The letters will be targeted at MP’s in areas where its research shows children are most affected.
The letter will argue feeding children properly leads to improved attendance, better pupil concentration and outcomes as well as reduced inequalities.
The figures, drawn from a survey of 10,000 teachers carried out by the charity, come as data shows government funding for school meals is failing to keep up with rising food costs. This has led to schools being forced to dip into their own already stretched budgets to cover the cost of feeding pupils. 38 percent of school leaders report that their schools have had to regularly pay for meals for children who don’t qualify for free school meals, with that number increasing to 51 percent in the poorest areas.
The crisis is so severe that a quarter of schools have had to write off meal debt, while 24 percent have set up food banks just to support struggling families. Schools are now facing impossible choices between funding essential education services or making sure children have enough to eat.
The letter comes as new research shows the budget for school food has not kept in line with food inflation and stands at £1.05 per pupil which has to provide a main course, pudding and afternoon snack.
Philip Mayling, director of MKG foods which supplies school food in the Midlands said: “It has become impossible to provide a well balanced school meal on the existing budget. Food inflation has risen but the budget has not. For many school children in poverty this is the only good meal of the day and this bothers me.”
He added: “Children should be getting a range of food and options including oily fish, beef and fresh fruit and vegetables. Now we frequently see only one option on the menu, with increased carbs to bulk out the meal and with tinned fruit or vegetables instead of fresh, the cheapest processed meat and no fish. It’s a race to the bottom for a generation of children who have no voice and no choice. Nutrition affects learning and development and we are heading into a crisis. In 20 years in this business I’ve never seen it so bad without alarm bells ringing and calls for action.”
Craig Coombs, from Coombs Catering Partnership, which supplies school meals to schools across England, said: “We are increasingly seeing schools being forced to subsidise school meal provision and cutting back on other overheads such as teaching assistance and other staff. This has a knock on impact. We are also seeing more schools use processed foods which use filler ingredients. Children need healthy balanced nutrition for learning, attention and development.
A Government spokesperson said: “We are determined to tackle the scourge of child poverty and break the unfair link between background and opportunity – and have already taken wide-ranging action despite this government’s incredibly challenging fiscal inheritance, including setting up the Child Poverty Taskforce.
“The first 750 schools will begin offering free breakfast clubs from April, backed by over £30 million investment, to boost attainment, attendance, behaviour and wellbeing.
“We are keeping our approach to free school meals under review. As with all government programmes, all future spending is subject to the Spending Review.”