170Days

Innovation in Community Projects that address School Holiday Child Hunger

@LindsayGrahamUK

Food Poverty

Food poverty is the inability to afford, or to have access to, food to make up a healthy diet. It is about the quality of food as well as quantity. It is not just about hunger, but also about being appropriately nourished to attain and maintain health.

Bristol City Council Report Food Poverty 2013

United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child

Every young person has the right to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development’.

Child Friendly version

‘You have the right to food, clothing, a safeplace to live and to have your basic needs met.You should not be disadvantaged so that youcan't do many of the things other kids can do’

The UK Government is under a state duty to provide ‘material assistance and support programmes, particularly with regard to nutrition’

UK Food Banks Holiday Hunger

Trussel Trust

Challenges for Families in Holidays • FSM unavailable • Pressure on family budget - debt, utility, food• Benefit delay ,sanctions• School readiness and learning decline• Safeguarding risk elevated• Access /availability to food• Social contact diminished • Family Stress

1907

Barnardo’s Report 2004APPG School Food Position Paper 2014

‘No Kid Hungry’ Research in USAResearch 1,200 low income families in 4 states •62% spent more on food during summer•86% of food eaten during holidays at home•72% wanted service delivered in known site•Extra £45 per week average outlay for food(No Kid Hungry summer meals survey webinar)

USA has historical 25 year policy of free summer meals for all children and young people up to the age of 18 eligible for free or subsidised meal in term time.

United States Department of Agriculture

Summer Meals

‘The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally-funded, state-administered program. The SFSP reimburses providers who serve healthy meals to children and teens in low-income areas at no charge, primarily during the summer months when school is not in session’ (USDA website)

Meals can be Breakfast /Lunch/Supper or a Snack

Nine States – 37 days

Georgia , Tenessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin , Minnisota, Iowa, New York , Boston and Washington DC

WCMT Fellowship 11 Summer meals sites

2 Growing projects

2 Cooking programmes

2 Conferences

58 Interviews

1 Senate hearing

2 Food banks

1 Award ceremony

1 Embassy lunch

Georgia

Rural provision to outlying sites

Kentucky

Bus Stop Café 500 meals day

New York

8 million meals delivered at 1,000 sites in New York City

Washington DC

Senate Hearing on Feeding Americas Children Well

Learning points

• USA has replicable public policy• Uses existing resources and skilled workforce• Different models good community partnerships• Good Federal , State and District support• Food quality mixed but standardised & monitored• Not fully evaluated and still some waste issues• Reviewing how can reach more children / families• Embedded into School Meals System• Worked best when aligned to activities

East RenfrewshireAll holidays covered

Paid and FSM (44%)

Inclusive

5- 13 years

Family service

Arts, Physical Activity

Use of existing resources

Started 2007

North Ayrshire Runs all Holidays3 days per weekI hour activity FSM + Paid mealsSupport other groupsWork experience Existing staff

Examples of other Provision

www.makelunch.org.uk 33 lunch kitchens summer 2015 598 Volunteers , community venues 8,338 meals2x weekly to 5 daysRuns in all holiday periods.Activities and support

http://accordgroup.org.uk/articles/444-Holiday-learning-food-and-play-for-families-who-need-it-most- Holiday Kitchen works closely with families of pre and primary school children across the West Midlands who are on low incomes and/or are in need of additional support.Its aim is to reduce the strain faced by families during the summer school holidays by offering free and affordable meals and activities that improve children’s well-being, and educational opportunities

http://www.nechildpoverty.org.uk/ Good examples of best practice highlight via networks of NE PovertyCommission

Referral Routes

Community Benefits

Recommendations for UK Government• UK government should address the social policy gap in this area by supporting

child meal provision and enrichment programmes targeted to areas with high percentages of 40% or more free school meals.

• Projects should be set within an evaluation framework to which measures both process and impact

• Programmes should run in all holiday periods using existing resources and staff• Community projects currently delivering summer education programmes, child

care , and sports activities should be encouraged to become summer and holiday meals sites in partnership with existing school meals providers

• Summer meal provision should be broadened to include opportunities for training and skills development

• Government should embrace the opportunity to extend statutory education to non-term time and align this with community food provision, learning, sport and enrichment activities to help close the inequality gap experienced particularly by low income and FSM pupils. i(e use of pupil premium in England)

• Funding for such programmes should come from across government policy areas including, Health, Education, Department of Work and Pensions, Poverty alleviation. With responsibility held by Depart of Education

Conclusion • Core USA principles could apply to a UK programme• Government must to invest in tackling child hunger - closing gap• 170 days where children from low income families could be

supported better with enrichment, education and food• National awareness campaign to engage the public and all sectors • Must be investment in research• Holiday signposting services that align social benefits /welfare funds• Build on pockets of good practice existing models• Policy should be developed in each UK region to support change

This presentation acknowledges - WCMT ,Rank Foundation , USDA, No Kid Hungry USA, Durham University , Trussel Trust , and NFSMI ,UN, SNA

“Copyright @ 2014 Lindsay Graham Ltd. All rights reserved. Any unauthorised use, copying or reproduction of this publication will constitute an nfringement of copyright. Disclaimer: Whilst every effort is taken in the preparation of the presentation, Lindsay Graham Ltd makes no warranty as to the content, accuracy, timeliness, suitability or completeness of the information therein.”

Thank-you

Twitter @LindsayGrahamUK

Link to full ‘170Day’ report

Http://www.wcmt.org.uk/users/lindsaygraham2014

Useful summer meals websites are listed in report