By Free school holiday meals in Doncaster to top £100,000
During the Easter holidays, Doncaster Council made the decision to continue free school meals for children in reception, year one and year two.
This meant that children in those year groups would receive the offer of a meal or equivalent value food voucher from April 6 to April 17.
The council said 100 per cent uptake would cost just over £160,000, but the updated figures on how many families took up the offer have not yet been published.
Schools also continued to receive their Universal Free School Meal funding at £2.30 per meal and were requested to provide a meal or voucher to the value of their normal per meal price in accordance with need.
Meals were also delivered as part of a hamper for those children in special schools whose parents requested it, which came to 70 children at £15 per week until the schools reopened.
Bosses added that this would total £13,650 if all 70 children took up the offer.
Vouchers were also for those not on a school roll who received eligibility benefits of £15 per week and if all 28 children took up the offer, it would cost £5,460.
In a report first drafted in May, Anita Linsdell head of business development within the council’s children & young people department, said: “Doncaster Council wants all children to have access to a meal. Under normal circumstances, children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal.”
“But during these exceptional times of closures due to Covid-19, children have not been accessing this provision.”
“Families accessing benefits are being accessed to check their eligibility for benefit related free school meals. However, many families affected by the reduction of income related to Covid-19 are not entitled to benefits and the impact of additional food costs is significant.”
“This impact remains during the school holiday period. The cost of providing a meal during the Easter holidays at 100 per cent take up would be £161,423. An update on actual take up numbers will be known once details of the claims procedure is communicated to schools.”
