CHILDREN are arriving at school dirty, with unwashed hair and unbrushed teeth because of “hygiene poverty” caused by the “worst cost-of-living crisis in half a century.”

Teachers’ union NASUWT is backing a campaign calling on the government to tackle the problems faced by families who cannot afford to buy basic materials such as soap, toothpaste and detergent.

The Clean Up Child Hygiene Poverty campaign has been launched by charity The Hygiene Bank and cleaning products firm Smol following its survey of 500 school staff.

It found that over the last year the number of children arriving at school dirty and in unwashed clothes had increased — and was expected to get worse.

The survey estimated that teachers and other school staff paid out on average £27 each buying hygiene products for children last year — a total of £40 million.

It also found that children suffering from hygiene poverty have experienced low self-esteem, bullying and isolation at school.

NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach said: “No child should suffer the shame and embarrassment of coming to school in dirty and unwashed clothes because their family either can’t afford to wash them or doesn’t have enough money for spare items of school uniform, which are becoming increasingly expensive for many.

“It is undeniable that teachers are having to pick up the pieces of rising levels of child poverty, caused by the worst cost-of-living crisis in half a century.”

The campaign is calling on the government to tackle the problem in its upcoming child poverty strategy.

A government spokesperson said: “We are taking action to deliver our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and remove the stain of child poverty from our country.
 
“That includes legislating to bring down school uniform costs by capping the number of branded items, and as many as 750 schools will begin delivering breakfast clubs as early as next April.
 
“We have also launched a child poverty taskforce co-chaired by the Education Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary to listen to front-line staff and struggling families, delivering an ambitious strategy to increase household income, bring down essential costs, and tackle the challenges felt by those living in poverty.”