Page 1 of 2
1
2
LastLast
  1. #1

    UK: Schools have become 'fourth emergency service' for poorest families

    Schools have become “an unofficial fourth emergency service” for vulnerable families across England and Wales, offering food parcels, clothing and laundry facilities to those worst affected by austerity, according to a new report by a headteachers’ union.

    A majority of the 400 school leaders surveyed by the Association of Schools and College Leaders (ASCL) said they were seeing a “rising tide” of poverty among their pupils, at a time when they were having to cut their own budgets and receiving less support from local councils.

    Sarah Bone, headteacher of Headlands school, a comprehensive in Yorkshire’s East Riding, said: “We have far too many children with no heating in the home, no food in the cupboards, washing themselves with cold water, walking to school with holes in their shoes and trousers that are ill-fitted and completely worn out, and living on one hot meal a day provided at school.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/educatio...orest-families

    I bet this is an exaggeration. Is it?
    .

    "This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can."

    -- Capt. Copeland

  2. #2
    Titan Orby's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Under the stars
    Posts
    12,983
    Cannot speak for Yorkshire but as someone who lives in a bit of a dive area, I haven't known anyone who has poor living conditions like those mentioned. Plenty of people get by barely and just about and can only imagine it being harder for some with the price of living now, but to not have warm water or heating? Thats not to say there are not some people out there struggling, because I am sure there are. I live in a rented place and with all my payments I just about get by myself, but I am wise with my money but I can at least say I have enough to eat, shower every day, and have heating.

    But I do feel it is a slight exaggeration yes.

    You got to take in account the singular examples. Like one house could be struggling with food and has food stamps to get by, but they have heating and water, another house could be well off on food but is struggling with heating and water, It;s not like every house has all of these problems in one go. Maybe there are examples of that though, but not to a large degree.
    Last edited by Orby; 2019-03-16 at 03:32 PM.
    I love Warcraft, I dislike WoW

    Unsubbed since January 2021, now a Warcraft fan from a distance

  3. #3
    Meh, poor people are the worst.
    Quote Originally Posted by Shalcker View Post
    Posting here is primarily a way to strengthen your own viewpoint against common counter-arguments.

  4. #4
    Void Lord Elegiac's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Aelia Capitolina
    Posts
    59,339
    Probably not, once you filter for the anecdotes; there's been a significant increase in relative childhood poverty in the UK over the past decade. Yet another impact of British austerity.

    I've no doubt that the usual suspects will simply blame it on immigrants or the EU, however.
    Quote Originally Posted by Marjane Satrapi
    The world is not divided between East and West. You are American, I am Iranian, we don't know each other, but we talk and understand each other perfectly. The difference between you and your government is much bigger than the difference between you and me. And the difference between me and my government is much bigger than the difference between me and you. And our governments are very much the same.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Hubcap View Post
    I bet this is an exaggeration. Is it?
    Do some research and you'll find it's not.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Hubcap View Post
    I bet this is an exaggeration. Is it?
    It's actually not an exaggeration at all.

  7. #7
    Herald of the Titans
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Dual US/Canada
    Posts
    2,597
    Quote Originally Posted by Hubcap View Post
    I bet this is an exaggeration. Is it?
    It also depends on your definition of 'far too many'.

    Do 50% of the children need to be in those conditions before it's a problem? 75%?

    I'd wager as a school administrator, even seeing 10 students out of every 1000 in those conditions is concerning. Especially if that number is rising at a rate fast enough to be noticeable.

  8. #8
    Not just in the UK.

    Growing up in the USA, I relied on school for the 'free' Breakfast and Lunch provided, a warm place during the colder months, and access to a computer/internet connection.

  9. #9
    Not just a UK problem, it's all over in the US, not just in urban locations either.

  10. #10
    The Insane Aeula's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Nearby, preventing you from fast traveling.
    Posts
    17,415
    I live in a poor area and I’ve never heard of anything like this.

  11. #11
    Solution seems to be for the parents to get a job.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by ctd12345 View Post
    scumbag comment.


    The poorest are hit hardest by austerity. Just look at the rise in Dickensian diseases. Inequality is only going one way, and it will only get worse.
    Yes, sorry; it wasn't meant with any seriousness whatsoever, but it's a hubcap thread. When in Rome and all that.
    Quote Originally Posted by Shalcker View Post
    Posting here is primarily a way to strengthen your own viewpoint against common counter-arguments.

  13. #13
    The Lightbringer Darknessvamp's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Hour of Twilight, Caverns of Time
    Posts
    3,794
    I wonder how many of these families are solely dependent on the dole. At the same time I wonder how many of them have an Apple product or five.
    Elune: "My sister needed Anima so I let my favoured people die. What is this 'Maw' you speak of?"
    Daily reminder that Steam has never had a monopoly on PC Gaming, don't mistake age and popularity for domination.
    Because people don't understand words: Forced and Necessity

  14. #14
    In America, food is incredibly cheap. It's the housing that takes up the biggest chunk of your budget.

    Heating couldn't be all that high either.

    I'm thinking it's the same way in Britain. Doesn't the state pay for poor people's housing there?
    .

    "This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can."

    -- Capt. Copeland

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Darknessvamp View Post
    I wonder how many of these families are solely dependent on the dole. At the same time I wonder how many of them have an Apple product or five.
    You know you can sometimes get those for free right?

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Hubcap View Post
    I bet this is an exaggeration. Is it?
    Yup, and its only going to get worth from here with No-deal brexit looming. the UK is in for another 70's style lost generation.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Hubcap View Post
    I bet this is an exaggeration. Is it?
    Its probably a bit worse, there are charities now that provid sanitary towels so that teenagers who cannot afford them can go into school every day rather than having a few days sick every month.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a8174436.html

    its a national disgrace, same as the homeless situation at the moment. This is David Camerons 'Big Country' (paraphrase) in action.
    Last edited by molliewoof; 2019-03-17 at 02:22 PM.

  18. #18
    The Lightbringer Darknessvamp's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Hour of Twilight, Caverns of Time
    Posts
    3,794
    Quote Originally Posted by Themius View Post
    You know you can sometimes get those for free right?
    Usually those are private schools and colleges though aren't they? Comes with specific plans and such but you're still paying for them in some fashion. Who's giving free iPads/iPhones to poor families? Not public schools in England that is for sure.
    Elune: "My sister needed Anima so I let my favoured people die. What is this 'Maw' you speak of?"
    Daily reminder that Steam has never had a monopoly on PC Gaming, don't mistake age and popularity for domination.
    Because people don't understand words: Forced and Necessity

  19. #19
    If only dad cashed a check rather then smashed the fascist.

  20. #20
    Immortal Zelk's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Newcastle Upon Tyne
    Posts
    7,145
    https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ton-poverty-uk

    Austerity is class warfare, make no mistake about it.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •