COST OF LIVING CRISIS

Parents if you need help or support or signposting over the next few difficult months with regards to prices prices in food, energy and everything else, please talk to the office or a senior leader at school. Some other ways to help yourself and your family are posted here.

SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES & THINGS TO DO

There are summer holiday camps and activities available for children of families who receive free school meal entitlement. They are organised by the local authority - Barnet

If you would like any help in booking a place please speak to Mrs Shear - the link to register is below

HELPFUL ADVICE FOR PARENTS ABOUT SUPPORTING YOUR CHILDREN WITH ONLINE SCHOOLING DURING SCHOOL CLOSURES

What is Healthy Start?

Healthy Start is the UK’s food welfare scheme for pregnant women and young children in low-income families. The scheme is there to help families who are most in need of this support. Families can access FREE vouchers to spend on fresh, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried and tinned pulses and infant formula milk. Families will also be able to access vouchers for free vitamin drops.

Who qualifies for Healthy Start?

Women who are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 years old, and parents or their family get:

• Income Support, or
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
• Child Tax Credit (with a family income of £16,190 or less per year)
• Universal Credit (with a family take home pay of £408 or less per month).

All pregnant women under 18 years, even if they don’t get any of the above benefits.

What will families receive?

Healthy Start Food Vouchers

Families that qualify for healthy start will receive weekly foods vouchers. The values* work out as the following:

• Pregnant Women- 1 voucher per week worth £3.10
• Infants 0-12 months- 2 vouchers per child per week £6.20
• Child 1-4 years- 1 vouchers per child per week £3.10

*Based on 2019 values

The food vouchers can be exchanged or spent on:

• plain cow’s milk – whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed. It can be pasteurised, sterilised, long life or UHT
• fruit and vegetable– plain fresh, frozen or tinned (fruit and vegetables with no added ingredients), whole or chopped, packaged or loose
• pulses – fresh, dried, tinned pulses
• infant formula milk that is based on cow’s milk and can be used from birth

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lives in many ways. It has caused disruption to family life, to work and school and the way in which we access support services. The London Borough of Barnet have produced a simple guide for families within the borough to find the range of advice, help and support that is available to them at this tough time. It includes financial support, children centres, local food banks and community groups, mental health and well-being information.

If you need any additional support in any way please speak to us at school. We will try to help or signpost you to the right service