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Child Neglect
UK News

Rise in teachers caring for hungry pupils

The figure compares to just 2% who say it has decreased, with the situation leading to some pupils being "unable to learn".

As a result, a third (30%) of teachers has brought in food specifically for students they suspect haven't eaten anything in the morning.

The Kellogg's survey, carried out by YouGov amongst almost 900 schoolteachers, also shows that these events are not one-offs.

Over half (55%) of teachers say there are children in their school that regularly don't eat until lunch - and two-fifths (38%) see children arriving hungry every day.

Of those teachers who had seen an increase in children arriving at school hungry, two-thirds (69%) cite the economic downturn as a reason for the rise, while 56% blame benefits cuts.

Almost half (48%) say that in the fight to secure full-time work, parents were not financially able to provide breakfast. By comparison, just 35% say they think that children go hungry because their carers see breakfast as unimportant.

The Christian based Trussell Trust which operates food banks across the country believes the figures are a reflection of what volunteers are encountering at local centres nationwide.

Sarah Greenwood, a Trussell Trust food bank manager in London told Premier that anecdotally the number of children who are now depending on food banks is a major concern: "Our referrals are actually going up 40 percent over the last year, of numbers of people that we're seeing; so increasing numbers and about a third of the people we're seeing are children under 18."

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