Feeding Children in Hard Times
School meals, poverty and the cost of living in Britain
Research led by Dr Heather Ellis
As families navigate the ongoing pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, it is more important than ever to talk about how we feed the nation's children. Drawing on the ESRC-funded project The UK School Meals Service: Past, Present and Future, this interactive workshop looks at how school meals have helped families to manage the costs of feeding children for more than a century, and how these past lessons can help us build a better school meals system today.
Through illustrated talks and powerful oral history recordings from pupils, parents, and dinner ladies, the session will explore stories of stigma, hunger, care, and family finances. Through conversations and memory-sharing, you can reflect on your own experiences before joining a panel of researchers, practitioners and policymakers for a discussion of current debates around school food standards, child poverty and the expansion of the free school meals programme. Hands-on children's activities will run simultaneously, making it easy for parents to take part in the discussions. Come share your story and help shape the future of school food.
