A child not fed for 3 days is abuse, not poverty.

[Badlittlepup]

It's appalling, definitely, but we don't actually know what the parents' circumstances are, to be making these sorts of judgements.

 

It could be something as simple as "the family are on a slot meter, for their power, and, because of the cold weather, had to put extra money on the meter, leaving them without enough for food.." On the other hand, it might be the case that the parent puts booze and fags before the child... we don't know.

 

I know my own parents, always, without fail, managed to ensure we kids always had food in our bellies, clothes on our backs and coal for the fire, even though both my mum and dad smoked.

 

(I also know there were occasions where my late mother chose to forego a needed pair of shoes, when it came to the choice of putting food on the table and her getting a pair of shoes. I've seen my late mother put cardboard in her shoes, to cover a hole through the sole, to give a few days more wear out of the shoes.)

 

Not everyone has the skills my mother had, in budgeting... God knows, my father could give my mother a fiver, and she could make it stretch to £10, she was such a miracle worker when it came to budgeting.

 

But even if they had needed to put money in the meter that is not an excuse for starving your child for THREE DAYS! Perhaps it might mean no dinner one evening, but the next day you would go to a food bank, ask at a local church, beg from friends or neighbours, go to a soup kitchen, beg on the streets, go through supermarket bins. Damn it, you would do ANYTHING to get your kids food.

 

3 days without food is not the result of an unexpected expense or lack of money. It's simply not caring.

[anywebsite]

Of course you would. If this really happened, then where were social services?

[Mr Bloom]

Just seen a report on the news about the kids at Handsworth School collecting for a food bank which is all very noble and nice.

 

However the headmistress was trying to make some type of political point about a child at the school not having eaten for 3 days from Friday lunchtime to Monday lunchtime. She seemed to think that this was because of poverty and that giving food to a food bank would solve it.

 

I was watching it thinking what a pile of steaming doo doo.

 

If a child has not been fed for 3 days that child is not a victim of poverty, they're a victim of bad parents and child abuse.

 

If my child did not have food I would beg, borrow or steal to get it. I would go to my local church and ask for help, I would find a Sikh temple, I would walk to a food bank, a soup kitchen, I would shoplift if forced but I would never let my child starve.

 

If the child hadn't eaten for 3 days the parent must have either not been there or not cared.

 

Is it just me or is it a bit disgusting that this headmistress is trying to make political capital out of what should essentially be a child abuse case?

 

If this government has their way, you might also find yourself and your family in the workhouse for doing just that.

[Andy]

I do not understand how people end up in the situation of having no food in the house. I am not poor, but I have been, and stocking the cupboards was a priority along with paying the rent, council tax and utility bills. The essentials for life. These are even more important if you are responsible for a child.

 

You can buy some items for not much money. Aldi baked beans on toast three times might not be the healthiest, most nutritional meals but would keep you going for a couple of days and only cost a couple of pounds. I thought most people had 'odds and ends' in the freezer - an odd fish finger, an odd sausage and a few oven chips which can make a meal, all be it an unusual one. No breakfast cereals, or tins of soup in this house?

 

I have every sympathy with people who are struggling to make ends meet. It's tough at the moment and I don't want this to come across as having a go at those on benefits. Like I said, I've been there.

 

But I agree with the other posters, if I was responsible for a child I would stop at nothing to make sure they ate. Friends, family members and neighbours would all be asked to help and I would resort to theft if I had to.

[Ms Macbeth]

We lived hand to mouth for a time when we had a young family and its a grind. Once we'd made sure our rent was paid, nearly every penny went on food, coal and electricity. We rarely had a luxury food item, but as Andy says beans are cheap. I learnt to make all sorts of meals with mince, and potatoes are a good filler, as is soup and bread. Although our situation improved over the years, we still make vegetable soup, very warming and filling and we get about 6-8 good servings for under £3.

[jenz245]

The article actually states she hadn't had a "meal" it doesn't state she wasn't fed. It also states the weekend so Saturday and Sunday. Now I am not saying this is acceptable however as a teenager I may have gone the odd days without a meal (however this would have been out of choice as meals were cooked daily)

Perhaps they wanted to highlight their food bank efforts and used this info to highlight it.

If a child is purposely not fed for even 8 hours I would class this as neglectful/abusive parenting

[Bladesman]

The article actually states she hadn't had a "meal" it doesn't state she wasn't fed. It also states the weekend so Saturday and Sunday. Now I am not saying this is acceptable however as a teenager I may have gone the odd days without a meal (however this would have been out of choice as meals were cooked daily)

Perhaps they wanted to highlight their food bank efforts and used this info to highlight it.

If a child is purposely not fed for even 8 hours I would class this as neglectful/abusive parenting

 

I saw it on the TV and seemed to me they were making out it that one child had not eaten for 3 days. They also claimed some children only had a school uniform and no other clothes which I do struggle to believe.

 

If that is the case then I agree with some on here social services should be involved.

[tinfoilhat]

I saw it on the TV and seemed to me they were making out it that one child had not eaten for 3 days. They also claimed some children only had a school uniform and no other clothes which I do struggle to believe.

 

If that is the case then I agree with some on here social services should be involved.

 

Funnily enough a friend of mine was talking about a friend she knew 40 years ago who only had one uniform. She washed it everyday. Unsurprisingly dad didn't work but drank. A lot. Looks like stuff doesn't change much.

[jenz245]

I saw it on the TV and seemed to me they were making out it that one child had not eaten for 3 days. They also claimed some children only had a school uniform and no other clothes which I do struggle to believe.

 

If that is the case then I agree with some on here social services should be involved.

 

I only read the article. I would hope the school has taken action.

[Bladesman]

Funnily enough a friend of mine was talking about a friend she knew 40 years ago who only had one uniform. She washed it everyday. Unsurprisingly dad didn't work but drank. A lot. Looks like stuff doesn't change much.

 

Sadly it would seem in most cases the parents are spending the majority of the money they get through benefits or from work on the wrong things.