Government Plan 2021–2024 (P.130/2020): eighteenth amendment (P.130/2020 Amd.(18)) – addendum [P.130-2020 Amd.(18)Add.]

1

Working title for this project:

Free School Meals for children and young people

2

What type of project is this?  

Policy development

Primary legislation

Secondary legislation: Regulations

Secondary legislation: Orders

Secondary legislation: Bye-laws

Secondary legislation: Appointed Day Act

Secondary Legislation: Rules of Court

Secondary legislation: Order in Council

Proposition

x

Amendment to a Proposition

Please answer question 3, OR question 4:

3

Government of Jersey CRIAs: Development of policy, legislation,

propositions and amendments

Does this project appear in the Government of Jersey's Policy Pipeline?1

 No

Lead Minister:

Lead Department:

Senior Manager responsible:

Lead Officer(s):

CSP Priority:

4

States Assembly CRIAs: Development of propositions and amendments

Name of States Member / Committee / Panel / Board developing the proposition or amendment:

Deputy Rob Ward

5

Project timeframe/key dates:

1

Background and rationale

Briefly describe the drivers for this project, why this work is happening now and how it connects to the CSP / Government Plan.

To allow for the extension of the school meals pilot to all fully state-funded primary schools with a view to Island-wide provision being in place by the start of term in September 2021 at the latest, or earlier if practicable.

2

Policy Ambition/Aims

Briefly describe what this project is intended to achieve and how this is expected to take effect.

It isestimated that up to 1,000 children do not have access to a hot meal each day because of poor accommodation, lack of cooking facilities and financial difficulties.2

Lack of access to adequate nutrition impacts a number of children's rights, including their right to health and development. The Proposition seeks to extend the school meals pilot, which currently provides healthy, hot meals to children in 2 schools in Jersey. The extension of the pilot would support wider access to nutritious food through seeking to remove financial and practical barriers by offering nutritious meals. The Proposition Report submits that 1,595 children could be positively impacted if Pupil Premium is to be used as an indicator of eligibility.

Before answering question 3 below, you should familiarise yourself with the

scope and content of Part I of the UNCRC (Articles 1 – 42)3,4 with particular

reference to the Articles recognised as its four guiding principles':

1. States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.
2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child's parents, legal guardians, or family members.

1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures.
3. States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision.

Article 6 – Life, survival and development

1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.

Article 12 – Respect for the views of the child

1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
2. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law.

3a

Will this project, directly or indirectly , positively or

5

negatively, affect the lives of children and young people in Jersey and

the enjoyment of their rights as set-out in the UNCRC?  

Yes. The proposition will have a positive direct impact on a significant number of children in Jersey.

3b

If 3a = yes, briefly describe:

i.The aspects of this policy/law which are pertinent to the lives of

children and young people

ii.How this policy/law will affect, either positively or negatively, all

children and young people or specific groups of children and young

people6

iii.Any differential impacts that are anticipated between particular groups

of children and young people

i.

The proposition seeks to provide nutritious school meals for children in state-funded primary school.

ii.

As noted above, current estimates indicate that up to 1,000 children do not have access to a hot meal each day. This Proposition will provide support for children in state-funded primary schools by providing access to

a hot meal, supporting their right to health, development and an adequate standard of living.

iii.

Under this Proposition, children in state-funded schools could have access to a nutritious meal provided free of charge. Those in private school or who are home-schooled in Jersey will not, nor is there currently a Proposition to extend this to children in secondary school. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) defines a child as "every human being below the age of 18 years", and so not all children will be positively impacted by this Proposition, but a large group of children in Jersey will be positively impacted by this.

3c

If 3a = no, briefly describe why you believe this to be the case.

• If you answered Yes' to question 3a above, you now need to complete section 2, unless you are developing an Amendment to a Proposition.

• If you answered No' to question 3a, you do not need to do anything further.

Is a full CRIA required?

Yes

Any further comments:

Decision date:

Government of

Jersey Senior Manager / States Member responsible:

Signature:

UNCRC Clusters

Tick all

that apply

I - General measures of implementation (General Comment No.5, General Comment No. 19)

Article 4 implementation obligations

x

Article 41 respect for existing standards

Article 42 making Convention widely known

Article 44(6) making reports widely available

II - Definition of a child

Article 1

III - General principles

Article 2 non-discrimination

x

Article 3(1) best interest to be a primary consideration (General Comment No.14)

x

Article 3(2) State's obligations to ensure necessary care and protection

Article 3(3) standards for institutions services and facilities

Article 6 the right to life, survival and development (See also: Cluster VI - Basic health and welfare)

x

Article 12 respect for the views of the child

x

IV - Civil rights and freedoms

Article 7 right to name, nationality and to know and be cared for by parents

Article 8 preservation of child's identity

Article 13 freedom of expression

Article 14 freedom of thought, conscience and religion

Article 15 freedom of association and peaceful assembly

Article16 protection of privacy

Article 17 child's access to information, and role of mass media

Article 37(a) right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (General Comment No. 8)

V - Family environment and alternative care

Article 5 parental guidance and child's evolving capacities

Article 18(1) and (2) parental responsibilities and State's assistance

x

Article 9 separation from parents

Article 10 family reunification

Article 11 illicit transfer and non-return

Article 27(4) recovery of maintenance for the child

Article 20 children deprived of their family environment

Article 21 adoption

Article 25 periodic review of placement and treatment

Article19 protection from all forms of violence (General Comment No.

8) (General Comment No. 13)

Article 39 rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of violence (See also: Cluster VIII - Special protection measures)

VI - Basic health and welfare

Article 6 right to life, survival and development (See also: Cluster III - General principles)

x

Article 18(3) support for working parents

x

Article 23 rights of disabled children (General Comment No. 9)

x

Article 24 right to health and health services (General Comment No. 15)

x

Article 26 right to social security

Article 27(1)-(3) right to adequate standard of living

x

VII - Education, leisure and cultural activities

Article 28 right to education (General Comment No. 8)

x

Article 29 aims of education (General Comment No. 1)

Article 31 right to leisure, play and participation in cultural and artistic activities

(General Comment No. 17)

VIII - Special protection measures

A - Children in situations of emergency  

Article 22 refugee children

Article 38 children and armed conflict

Article 39 rehabilitation of child victims

(See also: Cluster V - Family environment and alternative care)

B - Children involved with the system of administration of juvenile

justice

(General Comment No. 24)

Article 40 administration of juvenile justice

Article 37(a) prohibition of capital punishment and life imprisonment

Article 37(b)-(d) restriction of liberty

Article 39 rehabilitation and reintegration of child victims

(See also: Cluster V - Family environment and alternative care)

C - Children in situations of exploitation  

Article 32 child labour

Article 33 drug abuse

Article 34 sexual exploitation

Article 35 sale, trafficking and abduction

Article 36 other forms of exploitation

D - Children belonging to a minority or an indigenous group  

Article 30 (General Comment No. 11)

Jersey's Children and Young People's Plan 2019-23

Tick all that apply

Outcome 1: All Children in Jersey Grow Up Safely

Indicator 1: Reduce the number of children being bullied

Indicator 2: Reduce the number of children involved in the most serious domestic abuse cases

Indicator 3: Safely reduce the number of Looked After Children

Indicator 4: Reduce the number of under 18s who become victims of crime

Outcome 2: All Children in Jersey Learn and Achieve

Indicator 1: Reduce the number of pupils who are recorded as persistently absent from school

x

Indicator 2: Increase the number of four and five year olds achieving the expected level in the Early Learning Goals

Indicator 3: Increase the number of pupils achieving five or more good GCSEs including English and Mathematics

x

Indicator 4: Reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or

training (NEET)

Outcome 3: All Children in Jersey Live Healthy Lives

Indicator 1: Increase the number of Year 6 pupils who are a healthy weight

x

Indicator 2: Increase the number of two year olds who reach their developmental milestones in all domains

Indicator 3: Reduce the number of under 18s who require a dental extraction

x

Indicator 4: Increase the number of pupils who report they have a good quality of life

x

Outcome 4: All children in Jersey are Valued and Involved

Indicator 1: Increase the number of children who believe their community would act on their ideas

x

Indicator 2: Increase the number of children who believe they can influence what happens in their school

x

Indicator 3: Increase the number of children who are aware of their rights under the UNCRC

Indicator 4: Reduce children's experience of poverty and the impact of living in a low-income family

x

Please describe how you expect your project to positively contribute to

achieving the outcomes and indicators from the Children's Plan that you

have selected above.

Outcome 2: All Children in Jersey Learn and Achieve

The link between good nutrition and educational attainment is well-

established. An evaluation of free school meals in England7 found that:

"The universal entitlement pilot led to a significant increase in attainment for primary school pupils" in particular for children in Key Stage 2, "with pupils in both [pilot] areas found to make around two months' more progress, on average, than similar pupils in comparison areas."

Further, the report found that the universal entitlement pilot "appeared to improve attainment by more amongst pupils from less affluent families than amongst pupils from more affluent families. It also appeared to improve attainment by more for pupils with lower prior attainment than for those with higher prior attainment."

This further complemented previous research which evidenced that an improvement in the quality of school meals led to a significant improvement in both attainment and attendance.8

Tackling inequalities experienced by children who are living in poverty by providing free and nutritious school meals can support children to have equitable access to education, and to learn and achieve.

Outcome 3: All Children in Jersey Live Healthy Lives

The impact of good quality nutrition on health is well established. For example, Jersey's Food and Nutrition Strategy9 states that:

"Food is fundamental to survival and essential to quality of life. It is not just a physiological need but also a focus of celebrations, traditions and positive

experiences. Nutritional status affects how we function, grow, feel and think, how we interact with each other and our ability to contribute to society." Inequalities are clear, with unhealthy foods often being the most affordable options for families who are trying to feed hungry families on restricted budgets, leading to poorer health. This has an impact on childhood obesity, with higher rates of childhood obesity occurring in urban areas where poverty is more prevalent10. The Proposition would support efforts by providing nutritious meals for children which positively impacts their health, and eases a little stress on family budgets.

Outcome 4: All children in Jersey are Valued and Involved

Children face a democratic deficit where they do not have the same political powers as adults do, nor do children have the same economic powers as adults. The intersection of childhood and poverty results in a number of barriers to many rights, from physical and mental health to education; from an adequate standard of living to play.11 Children often lack meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions which affect them, which is again amplified by the experience of poverty.

Children and young people in Jersey have expressed their concerns around their peers experiencing food poverty (See section d). Acting on these concerns would value children's views and experiences, and show them that their input as citizens in Jersey is valued, listened to and acted on.

If you anticipate that your project will negatively impact progress towards

any of the Children's Plan's outcomes and indicators, please describe this

below.

Outcomes and indicators from Jersey's Performance Framework

Tick all that apply

Community Wellbeing: Children - Allchildren in Jersey have the best start in life

Community Wellbeing: Children - All children in Jersey live healthy lives

x

Community Wellbeing: Children - All children in Jersey learn and achieve

x

Community Wellbeing: Children - All children in Jersey grow up safely

x

Community Wellbeing: Health and wellbeing - Islanders benefit from healthy lifestyles

x

Community Wellbeing: Health and wellbeing - Islanders are protected

against social and environmental health hazards

Community Wellbeing: Health and wellbeing - Islanders can access high quality, effective health services

Community Wellbeing: Health and wellbeing - Islanders with long-term health conditions enjoy a good quality of life

Community Wellbeing: Health and wellbeing - Mental health and

x

wellbeing are fundamental to quality of life in Jersey

Community Wellbeing: Safety and Security - Islanders are safe and protected at home, work and in public

Community Wellbeing: Vibrant and inclusive community - Islanders enjoy living in a vibrant and inclusive community

Community Wellbeing: Vibrant and inclusive community - Islanders engage in the public decisions that affect their Island

Economic Wellbeing: Affordable living - Islanders are able to afford a decent standard of living

x

Economic Wellbeing: Jobs and growth - Islanders benefit from a strong,

x

sustainable economy and rewarding job opportunities

Environmental Wellbeing: Built environment - St Helier is an attractive town to live in, work in and visit

Environmental Wellbeing: Built environment - Islanders live in secure, quality homes that they can afford

Environmental Wellbeing: Built environment - Jersey benefits from a safe, sustainable transport system

Environmental Wellbeing: natural environment - Jersey's unique natural

environment is protected and conservedfor future generations

Environmental Wellbeing: Sustainable resources - Jersey's natural resources are managed and used responsibly

Please describe how you expect your project to positively contribute to

the sustainable wellbeing indicators from Jersey's Performance Framework

that you have selected above.

The positive impact of good quality nutrition on children's health has been established, and it is anticipated that in particular, this project will positively impact on indicators in the Children's Plan on the number of children with a healthy BMI and the number of children eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. As noted in the Food and Nutrition Strategy, building healthy routines and relationships with food can support better health in adulthood, and therefore could support wider behavioural and cultural change.

Through providing nutritious meals during the school day, children's engagement with education is anticipated to improve as it has in other jurisdictions, which supports the aim that all children in Jersey learn and achieve.

Research has shown12 that children can pick up on parent's stress, impacting their own anxiety and mental health. Supporting families through alleviating pressure

by providing free school meals to families whose budget is under strain can support better mental health, as well as provide support financially.

Further, this Proposition would allow for the creation of new jobs, contributing to aims to provide rewarding employment opportunities.

If you anticipate that your project will negatively impact any

of the sustainable wellbeing indicators from Jersey's Performance

Framework that you have selected above, please describe this below.

What have you done to understand the views of children and young people in

relation this project/subject?

Please describe what you did, who you engaged with and why – this can include

imagery of activities, but these should not identify children and young people unless

you have explicit permission to take and potentially publish photographs or video

footage. Any such consent should be recorded.

The Commissioner for Children and Young People carried out an island wide survey in 2018, and a joint survey with the Government of Jersey which explored the impact of Covid-19 of children and young people.

What do children and young people think about this project/subject?

(NB: these views are unlikely to be homogenous and may vary between specific

groupings of young people; try to capture the range of views)

In the Children's Commissioner's island-wide consultation, children aged 7 to 18 were asked the question If you were the Children's Commissioner, what would be the first thing you would do to make things better for children in Jersey?'

Poverty and the cost of living consistently came up as an absolute priority for children and young people:

"Make sure they all had a home with food and drink."

""Make sure families have enough money to buy good food for there children. I've heard some children have had less food in there lunch boxes nearer the end of the month."

"Young families with limited money giving them a safe environment plenty of food and drink and a warm home."

In a joint survey exploring the impact of Covid-19 of children and young people13, children and young people expressed concerns about finances. In an open-ended question which asked children "What are you worried about?", 25 expressed concerns about the economic impact of Covid-19, 13 were concerned about how they would make money and 3 respondents specified that running out of food was a concern for them.

How have the views of children and young shaped or changed your project?

Please describe where you have or plan to amend your project in response to the

views of children and young people.

Children and young people in Jersey have told us that tackling food insecurity is vitally important, advocating for children's rights to be upheld. This proposition would help to tackle food insecurity, and provide that children in state-funded primary school could have free school meals.

How will you continue your dialogue with the children and young people or

provide them with feedback about the progress/outcome of your project?

Children and young people are often asked for their views but are not consistently

informed about how their contributions were taken into consideration or came to

impact the outcome.

What have you done to understand the views of relevant stakeholders in

relation this project/subject?

Please describe what you did, who you engaged with and why – this can include

imagery of activities, but these should not identify individuals unless you have

explicit permission to take and potentially publish photographs or video footage. Any

such consent should be recorded.

Engagement with the Office of the Children's Commissioner

What do relevant stakeholders think about this project/subject?

(NB: these views are unlikely to be homogenous and may vary between specific

groupings of young people; try to capture the range of views)

The Children's Commissioner supports the Proposition as it supports children to access their rights, in particular their right to health. Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) specifies that states have a duty to "pursue full implementation of this right" and take appropriate measures to "combat disease and malnutrition, including through the provision of adequate nutritious foods".14

The UNCRC was extended to Jersey in 2014, whereby the Government of Jersey pledged to respect, protect and fulfil the rights in the Convention. Further, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) was extended to Jersey in 1976.15 ICESCR contains important protections, including the right to an adequate level of food under Article 11. This includes the duty of governments to take measures to improve the production, conservation and distribution of food, and to provide information on nutrition.

In the academic year 2018/2019, "two in ten children in Year R (21%) and around three in ten children in Year 6 (30%) were overweight or obese."16 In a 2017 survey, 48% of respondents said it's difficult to find affordable fruit and vegetables in Jersey with 10% of households having gone without17. Food bank usage has risen in the years since this survey was undertaken, and with further financial difficulty expected by many, it is important that action is taken to ensure that children's right to health, including access to nutritious food, is protected.

Data from 2015 showed that more than a quarter (29%) of children were living in relative low-income households18. The Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey Report 201719 revealed that 1 in 7 households were materially deprived, with 1 in 10 households in severe material deprivation. While around 25% of households had difficulty coping financially, this rose to 44% of single parent families and 23% of households with children that had gone without new clothing for their child over the last year.

More recently, more than a third (36%) of households reported that their finances had deteriorated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with half (50%) of households living in non-qualified rental accommodation reporting a deterioration in their household finances. Further, when asked, more than a quarter (27%) of households expected their financial situation to get worse over the next 12 months.20

A report in 201621 showed that more than a quarter of people accessing foodbanks had dependent children, and that 89% of people accessing food banks were either born in Jersey or had lived in the island long enough to gain an entitled' status for work and housing qualifications.

There have been reports of food bank usage increasing during the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, a collection of food banks in Jersey made more than 3,000 deliveries to 600 people between March and August this year.22

The UNCRC is clear that while parents and carers have duties to fulfil children's rights, they are also entitled to support from the state to do so. Article 18 is clear about this, as is Article 27 which focusses on children's rights to an adequate standard of living. The Committee on the Rights of the Child have reaffirmed this duty of states to provide support, including through General Comment No. 7 which calls on Governments to "render appropriate assistance to parents, legal guardians and extended families in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities (arts. 18.2 and 18.3), including assisting parents in providing living conditions necessary for the child's development (art. 27.2)".23

Rights are interdependent and therefore work to support children to have access to nutritious and nourishing food will support them to live healthier lives, which in turn will support their development and ability to engage with their education for example.

However, further work is required to tackle food insecurity so as to treat the cause and not the symptom. Jersey is a wealthy island and is able to do more to eliminate poverty, and adopting a child rights-based approach to policy and legislative development and decision making can provide a routemap for how to make positive change to better respect, protect and fulfil children's rights in Jersey.

In their Concluding Observations for the UK in 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child criticised increasing child poverty and urged governments to: "systematically collect data on food security and nutrition for children in order to identify the root causes of child food insecurity and malnutrition,"

"to regularly monitor and assess the effectiveness of policies and programmes on child food security and nutrition". I would urge the Government to implement these recommendations.

It is important to consider that the impact of stigma which surrounds free school meals can represent a barrier in children accessing provision. For example, research from the Children's Society24 found that 500,000 of the 2.2 million children living in poverty did not take up their free school meals due partly to fear of being teased or

bullied. This was mirrored in research undertaken by Angus Holford from the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex which explored the uptake of free school meals25. The report found that segregation in school halls and associated feelings of shame represented barriers preventing uptake of free school meals, and that preserving the anonymity of the children who receive free school meals had an immediate impact on their uptake. It is important that the implementation of free school meals takes account of this to support not just the uptake of free school meals but to respect children's dignity.

How have the views of the stakeholders you engaged with shaped or changed

your project?

Please describe where you have or plan to amend your project in response to the

views of the stakeholders consulted.

How will you continue your dialogue with the stakeholders or provide them with

feedback about the progress/outcome of your project?

Publication details – including a link where available:

T. Ridge, Living with poverty: a review of the literature on children's and families' experiences of poverty (University of Bath on behalf of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 2009): https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130314005651/http://research.dwp.gov.

uk/asd/asd5/report_abstracts/rr_abstracts/rra_594.asp

Summary of the evidence and its relevance to your project:

Children often lack meaningful opportunities to have a say in decisions that affect them. Children face a democratic deficit where they do not have the same political powers as adults do, nor do children have the same economic powers as adults. The intersectionality of these barriers with poverty present a number of barriers to many rights, from physical and mental health to education; from an adequate standard of living to play. T. Ridge, Living with poverty: a review of the literature on children's and families' experiences of poverty (University of Bath on behalf of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 2009):

Key areas of concern identified by children are:

• Economic deprivation: children were anxious about theadequacy of income coming in to their households and were afraid there would not be enough money for them and for their family's needs;

• Material deprivation: children lacked importantchildhood possessions, like toys, bicycles and games, and they also expressed concerns about being short of essentials and everyday items, like food, towels, bedding and clothing;

• Social deprivation: poverty restricted children's chancesto make and sustain friendships, and reduced their opportunities for shared social activities due to the costs of attending social events, inadequate and expensive transport provision and the expense of hosting social occasions within their own homes;

• schooldeprivation: children experienced restricted opportunities at school, largely through an inability to pay for resources such as study guides and exam materials, and restricted social opportunities through an inability to pay for school trips and other social activities. Inability to pay for compulsory items, such as uniforms, could also lead to conflict with teachers and disciplinary action;

• visible signs of poverty and difference: a lack of the same material goods and clothes as their peers, and an inability to take part in the same social and leisure activities meant that children experienced bullying and were fearful of stigma and social isolation;

• family pressures: children showed keeninsightinto the challenges and demands that poverty generated for their parents and anxiety about inadequate

household income, household debt and their parents' wellbeing and working conditions. They also often tried to moderate their own needs in response to their parents' financial difficulties;

• tensions with parents: conflicts sometimes arose with parents who were under severe financial pressure, or who sometimes had to work long hours or rely on childcare that children did not enjoy;

• additional responsibilities: children in low-income working families

were often taking on additional responsibilities in the home, including housework and caring responsibilities, or engaged in paid work themselves to ease financial pressures at home and to gain access to their own money;

• poor quality housing: this affected children's health andwellbeing, andmeantthat children had difficulties in sleeping, studying or playing at home;

• homelessness: children experienced considerable anxiety aboutthe quality of their temporary accommodation including a lack of privacy and no space for play. This affected their health, their school lives and their social participation;

• poor neighbourhoods: deprivedneighbourhoods created particular problems fo r children who described then as insecure and sometimes dangerous. They experienced a lack of safe space for play and a dearth of local and low-cost leisure facilities;

• living inrural areas meant that disadvantaged children lacked social opportunit ies for shared play, were reliant on inadequate and costly public transport, and were unable to meet the high costs of participation. This meant that children often felt confined within their local environments.

Overall, children identified a wide range of issues related to poverty and social exclusion. However, they were not passive victims' of poverty: many employed coping strategies such as taking jobs so they could contribute financially to their families, taking on caring duties so parents could work, and restricting financial demands (for example, not telling parents about school trips) to ease financial pressures within the home.

How has this evidence informed your project or shaped your approach to

addressing its impacts on children's rights?

Publication details – including a link where available:

Kitchen S, Rahim N, Tanner E, White C, Kotecha M, Callanan M,

Brown V, Payne C, Crawford C, Dearden L, Greaves E and Purdon S. (2012) Free School Meals Pilot Evaluation. Department for Education (England): London. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-free-school-meals-

pilot-impact-report

Summary of the evidence and its relevance to your project:

A summary of conclusions is in the report, however some key conclusions on the research included:

 The universal pilot had a significant positive impact on attainment for primary school pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2, with pupils in the pilot areas making between four and eight weeks' more progress than similar pupils in comparison areas. These effects could have arisen either through the provision of free school meals

directly or through the wider activities that accompanied the pilot (such as the promotion of school meals and healthy eating to pupils and parents) or both.

• The universal entitlement pilot appeared to improve attainment by more amongst pupils from less affluent families than amongst pupils from more affluent families. It also appeared to improve attainment by more for pupils with lower prior attainment than for those with higher prior attainment. It should be noted that the effects for different types of pupils are not always significantly different from one another.

• The improvements in attainment found in the universal pilot areas do not appear to have been driven by an increase in the amount of time children spend in school, as neither pilot approach led to a significant reduction in absence rates from school. This suggests that the increases in attainment evident in the universal pilot areas must arise as a result of improvements in productivity whilst at school.

How has this evidence informed your project or shaped your approach to

addressing its impacts on children's rights?

It has proven the impact of providing free school meals on educational outcomes.

Publication details – including a link where available:

Belot M and James J (2011). Healthy school meals and educational outcomes. Journal of Health Economics, 30: 489–504

Summary of the evidence and its relevance to your project:

This paper provides field evidence on the effects of diet on educational outcomes. Drastic changes in the meals offered in the schools of one borough - Greenwich - shifted from low-budget processed meals towards healthier options. The impact on educational outcomes was explored, comparing educational outcomes in primary schools (Key Stage 2 outcomes more specifically) before and after the reform. The report found evidence that educational outcomes improved significantly in English and Science and that authorised absences - which are most likely linked to illness and health - fell by 14%.

How has this evidence informed your project or shaped your approach to

addressing its impacts on children's rights?

It illustrates the link between good nutrition and educational outcomes.

1.  Please describe how you expect your project to have

UNCRC

a direct or indirect26 POSITIVE impact on children and young

Article/

people's enjoyment of their rights, as set-out in the Articles/Clusters

Cluster

of the UNCRC, which you have selected in section a) above. You should also explain how you propose

to appropriately enhance these positive impacts. (Add as many rows as you need)

The right to non-discrimination and equality:

All children should have access to nutritional food, this should not be dependent upon the financial circumstances of the parents or carers. Children are the rights holders, and should be supported to access their right to food on this basis. This Proposition would widen access to food supporting children to access their rights.

2

The best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration:

As one of the four general principles of the UNCRC, Article 3 supports the interpretation of the full convention. It is in a child's best interests to have access to nutritious food, meeting a basic human need.

3

States to take all appropriate measures to implement obligations under the UNCRC:

Putting in place appropriate support for children and young people to access their rights is part of implementation, alongside legislative and administrative measures. Providing access to food will support a number of children's rights to be realised

4

The right to life, survival and development:

Good quality nutrition is vital to basic human development, particularly to ensure that children are nourished and able to grow. Article 6 (2) is clear that "States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child." This Proposition provides details as to funding, and provides for the development of children in Jersey.

Views of the child:

The Proposition would act on children's views that have been expressed around making sure that children have food in their lunchbox, and of supporting their right to health.

Appropriate assistance to parents and carers:

The UNCRC is clear that parents and carers have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of their child, but also makes clear that "shall render appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in performance of their child rearing responsibilities and shall ensure the development of institutions, facilities and services for the care of children."

The Proposition would put in place an accessible programme which supports children and families to develop and grow through providing access to healthy food, recognising financial barriers and supporting parents with meeting the cost of meals, as well as ensuring that children are eating hot meals more regularly. Research noted above highlights that lack of access to cooking equipment is a significant barrier in making warm, heathy meals for a number of families in Jersey, and the state has a duty to provide support to families to meet children's needs and protect their rights.

The right to an education:

As noted above, there is a strong evidence based indicating the impact of access to good food on children participating fully in their education. This Proposition would therefore support children in being able to engage with their education.

Basic health and welfare:

Good quality nutrition has a direct, positive impact on children's health and welfare. It contributes to their development, physical and mental health and to maintain a healthy weight.

Cluster

VI  

The right to an adequate standard of living:

The Preamble makes it clear that children have the right to live a life of dignity. An adequate standard of living is a key pillar of this, and the state has a duty to provide support to ensure that children

2.  Please describe how your project may have a direct or

UNCRC

indirect27 NEGATIVE impact children and young people's

Article/

enjoyment of their rights, as set-out in the Articles/Clusters of the

Cluster

UNCRC, which you selected in section a) above. You should also explain how you propose to appropriately mitigate

these negative impacts. (Add as many rows as you need)