Child Poverty

Figures from the Department of Children, Schools and Families show that almost 1.2 million pupils are eligible for free school meals - an increase of 83,000 pupils over the last two years. Three education authorities have piloted free school meals for all primary school pupils, which could account for the rise, as well as the effect of job losses through the recession, says Christine Blower, the General Secretary of the Nationhal Union of Teachers. She adds: "The challenge for the new government is to maintain child poverty reduction targets and to seek to close the gap between the richest and poorest". Read the full document here: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000925/DESFR09_2010.pdf