by Lamiat Sabin

POOR kids are being fed and clothed by teachers because of Tory cuts, headteachers’ union NAHT revealed yesterday.

A huge 84 per cent said they had had to step in and provide personal care for families who were struggling to provide children with food, washing facilities and clothing, according to a survey of 2,000 English heads. 

More than half of the teachers claimed that their efforts used to be made by health and social services that have been cut and deprived of funding by the Tory-led coalition. 

And of them, 72 per cent said that they had even provided children with mental health support.

“This is a hidden, national scandal that’s going to hit families very hard, very soon,” said NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby.

“Schools will do all they can to help and in many cases they’re already providing more support than they can afford.

“This is money that schools are having to find to help families who have been left high and dry by cuts to public services.”

Food was given out to hungry children by three-quarters of teachers who took part in the survey, with almost 40 per cent doing so on a regular basis.

Clothing has been given out to pupils who are deprived of basic garments such as underwear and socks — but the number is even higher for school uniforms as the majority of teachers, at 81 per cent, had to provide some items themselves.

Head-louse treatment and haircuts, PE kits, birthday cards and gifts for children not expecting any others were also examples of the extra care given by schools, the NAHT said.

“Asking schools to foot the bill for cuts elsewhere and abandoning the poorest families is the wrong way to go about paying down the deficit,” Mr Hobby added.

NAHT has called for protection of teaching as an autonomous and high-status profession.

Fairer funding and educational opportunities should also be made available to children from unstable or cash-strapped homes, the union said.