Chapter Five: Barriers to Registration
Chapter 3 outlined the difficulties all local authorities face in identifying pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Chapter 4 highlighted the importance of streamlining and simplifying the application process as much as possible in order to increase the level of registration. However, staff participating in the interviews noted a number of barriers to registration that claimants may face and these are outlined in this chapter. The following chapter then examines some of the ways in which local authorities have attempted to overcome these barriers.
Some barriers cited by respondents were logistical; others were more emotive and it was these that were felt probably cause the greatest barrier to registration.
5.1 Logistical barriers
Lack of awareness of entitlement to free school meals was cited by some local authority staff as a barrier to application. In line with this, some local authority staff also noted a lack of readily available information to potential applicants and/ or a lack of information on the specific qualifying criteria for free school meals.
Also, some respondents felt that either the application process as a whole or elements of this (often form filling) may be confusing to some parents and serve to suppress application numbers.
While it was noted by all that it is important for eligible pupils to benefit from free school meals, some local authority staff noted that the difference in the way that free school meal payments and school clothing grant payments are made may have an impact on a small number of those who are entitled to free school meals but who choose not to apply. Because a cheque is paid directly to parents applying for school clothing grants, they will have discretion as to what this is spent on. Those in receipt of free school meals obtain a meal, but do not receive any direct monetary benefit. None of our respondents supported the concept of direct payments to parents for free school meals.
From the telephone interviews, there were no direct mentions of parents who move between employment and being on benefits affecting registration numbers. There were however, mentions that re-registration was a necessary factor due to reasons such as parents' circumstances changing regularly.
Overall, it was felt that logistical barriers do not inhibit large numbers of applications to any great extent, although there is no empirical evidence to support this and most views were based on anecdotal evidence or surmise or the occasional case that had been highlighted to them.
5.2 Emotive barriers
Within most local authorities throughout Scotland it was perceived that there are minimal logistical barriers to registration and that emotive barriers are much harder to overcome. The key emotive barrier cited by respondents was that of the "stigma" surrounding receipt of free school meals.
For most of our respondents, there was a perception that a stigma is attached to receiving free school meals and that this can inhibit take up of this benefit. This stigma serves to create negative associations for those in receipt of free school meals. This was seen to be of particular significance in local authorities where the majority of households had relatively high income levels and only small numbers of pupils were entitled to receive free school meals. However, this view of stigma was not universal and one respondent from a relatively poor area where the rate for receipt of free school meals was relatively high, felt that there was no stigma attached to being in receipt of free school meals.
A small number of respondents also noted that the introduction of healthy eating policies in schools may have served to suppress the numbers of those applying for free school meals to a slight extent. One had noted a decrease in numbers of applications for free school meals in the year that healthy eating policies had been introduced, although they noted that this figure had risen again in the subsequent year. Although such policies introduced into schools may affect the uptake of school meals by all pupils, there were suggestions from local authority staff that there was a link between lower registration for free school meals and healthy eating policies. That said, this perception was not backed up by any specific evidence.
"We feel in general terms there is always this emphasis on stigma, especially with free school meals. And as part of the 'Hungry for Success' campaign, we really try to encourage these issues and try to get take up as much as possible. We actually commissioned a consultation with different groups of people: parents, carers, school teachers and we've now got a report that has been finalised to give us the true facts out there, and whether there is stigma out there."
School census figures show that across all the local authorities in Scotland, there is a decrease in numbers applying for free school meals in secondary schools and this was often perceived to be due to a dislike on the part of pupils to be seen to have school meals. Some respondents felt that the older a pupil is, the more likely they are to want to state their independence by being seen to choose their own meals. Often this was linked to a perception that it is more "trendy" or "cool" for pupils to be seen to going to local shops with their friends to get their own lunch rather than being seen sitting in the school cafeteria eating a school meal. One or two respondents noted that there was a growing preference from secondary pupils to go home at lunchtime. There was a feeling by local authority representatives that the older children can play an influential role in a parent's decision not to register them for free school meals.
"The other problem is that some school children just don't want to eat school meals. So although they're eligible for free school meals, they'd rather just go to the local MacDonald's."
"Children, especially at secondary school have a lot of peer pressure going on. They don't want to eat healthy school meals, (even if they are eligible). They tend to go to the local chippy instead."
5.3 Barriers linked to eligibility criteria
Commenting on the criteria set for free school meal eligibility is not within the scope of this study. There have, however, been comments from most local authority staff regarding the eligibility criteria and that these criteria are often perceived to be a barrier. It is therefore important to include commentary surrounding the comments from respondents' viewpoints in order to fully appreciate what their views are founded upon.
We have already noted that some individuals who might be considered for free school meals are prohibited from application because of the benefits they receive. For example, many of our respondents noted that grandparents who may have responsibility for a grandchild but who are on pension credits do not qualify - according to the criteria laid down - for free school meals. However, it was felt that on the basis of annual income of less than £14,155, these people should qualify. As noted earlier within the report, those on pension credit and with full time responsibility for looking after a child can receive free school meals if they apply and are eligible for child tax credit. The same was also noted for students who are parents of children and may be on working tax credits. Most of our respondents noted that many of those in receipt of working tax credit are often on a low income, possibly lower than those in receipt of child tax credit, but who will not qualify for free school meals because they are in receipt of the "wrong" type of benefit.
"I think that the Scottish Executive should get the pension credit thing sorted out. There was one grandparent last year who was eligible. They would have still been eligible this year (if on income support) but I had to refuse them. It's ridiculous. Pension credit took over from income support for people from 60 or 65 - whatever age it was, and the government fixes the change. They should allow for the very small number of people in those circumstances who are caring for grandchildren."
In summary, there was a view expressed that a lack of ready information and/ or unclear application forms can serve to suppress the numbers of those applying for free school meals.
Furthermore, there is also perceived to be a stigma attached to free school meals. Most respondents considered that at a point in time - generally at secondary school - there is a likelihood that having a school meal (whether free or not) goes against peer pressure.