Teachers warn of bleak Christmas for many families

The overwhelming majority (90 per cent) polled by the National Education Union said the the next Government must prioritise ending child poverty. 

The NEU snapshot poll of 549 of the union's members was carried out by Deltapoll.

More than one in teachers surveyed said that their school would be supporting families over the Christmas period.

Analysis by Action for Children, published last week, found that three children in every primary class will be deprived of the basics, such as heating and fresh food, this Christmas.

When asked in the NEU poll to describe the ways in which schools would be supporting families, teachers spoke of donating to food banks, collecting for presents and clothes, and putting together food hampers for local families in need.

Comments included, ‘Christmas dinner hamper and no presents to be bought for teachers (new school policy).’

Another said, ‘We run a food bank and collect/ source clothing and household items for our families.’

One teacher said their school had a large ‘Reverse Advent’ collection for the local food bank, which followed an earlier harvest festival collection for them.

Other schools have filled shoe boxes with gifts for children not expected to receive any presents, are running a food bank on Christmas Eve, and providing the most vulnerable 25 families with hampers.

Teachers were also supporting families by signposting them to other local support services.

The poll found that: