Summer for some means extra meals need conjuring up

THE summer has taken a little time to arrive this year, and while for many people it means a long-awaited break or extra time with family, for others it is a more challenging picture.

- Claire De Silva

For some families with children, the school summer holidays may also mean the daunting task of providing an extra meal a day at home.

With just over a quarter of children eligible for free school meals in term time, the pressure of finding the money for five extra meals a week per child can be difficult for families who are struggling to get by. In fact, the added stress of budgeting this alongside usual working or caring duties means the summer break for many parents is anything but a holiday.

Sometimes the worry becomes the reality, and the money doesn't stretch far enough. Research we're publishing this week reveals eight per cent of parents - one in 12 - said their children have had to miss meals due to financial constraints in the holidays, a problem alleviated during term time by access to free school meals.

Even more parents - four in ten say their children miss out on clubs and activities during the holidays due to the cost.