With the cost of living crisis hitting families hard, the role of schools has become more critical than ever. As parents struggle to make ends meet amid rising costs and low pay, school leaders have been sharing heartbreaking stories of the true impact it's having.
But he felt that initial pastoral care was merely 'putting sticking plasters' on the issues and without a more proactive approach, they would forever be reacting to immediate problems without ever improving people's situations. It was only a few months ago, during the colder weather, when coming to the aid of one of their families, that it became clear just how vital the role has become.
For Hughes, who grew up in the area and whose dad went to the primary he's now the leader of, he feels schools have 'a duty' to help out, adding 'there's no point in being angry at the government, you've just got to do it'. He says schools - which he describes as 'the anchor institutions in communities' - 'have always been part of the welfare state,' but previously it's 'not been recognised'.
He recently came to the aid of a family where the parents' income took them just above the earning threshold for free school meals, but who were struggling to cope. "You then get poor mental health and reduced life chances. It just spirals and if schools aren't adequately funded and if we don't invest now, we will pay later."
Meanwhile one academy chain has said it is stopping referring families to foodbanks, but launching its own instead.
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