Scottish Government

Chapter Six: Policies to Encourage Registration

The previous chapter noted a number of barriers, or potential barriers, to take up of registration for free school meals and this chapter examines some of the policies that have been adopted to deal with this problem.

Possible barriers to free school meal registration process have been addressed by virtually all local authorities to some extent, although the extent to which this has been dealt with, and the ways in which barriers have been overcome, have varied.

6.1 The application process

Most of our respondents noted that they review application forms on a regular basis, generally when relevant application criteria are being updated. There was an acknowledged need from most to ensure that application forms:

• Are clear and easy to understand;
• Provide information in relation to the application process;
• Provide details of qualifying criteria;
• Are written in plain English;
• Combine the application for free school meals with that of school clothing grants.

Providing a range of different channels through which applications can be made has been adopted by a number of local authorities. So, for example, to deal with issues of social inclusion, most local authorities will have application forms available at all council offices. Furthermore, some local authorities have also made application forms available at other locations such as libraries or sports centres.

"So we have a number of whistle stop shops throughout the council area. We set up a procedure that if they wanted to phone the one stop shop, speak to one of our advisors, then that advisor would help them fill in the form. At the same time they might try to encourage them to apply for other benefits, say, if they came into the office with the form for clothing allowance, that advisor has been trained to try and encourage them to say 'well, you might be entitled to a free school meal, why not make sure that you try applying for that as well?"

In line with this, some local authorities have increased the number of ways by which application forms can be returned to council offices. Some now offer applicants the opportunity to do so by mail in pre-paid envelopes, via their website, in person or at a local office. The one drawback to website applications is that there will still be a need for respondents to submit proof of eligibility and this is not generally in a format that can be submitted online.

In some local authorities, staff also work closely with others in order to identify potential applicants who might not make a direct approach themselves. For example, one local authority has developed a close working relationship with staff at local job centres. Someone visiting a job centre and in receipt of any benefit will be asked questions to ascertain whether or not they are eligible for free school meals. In instances where they are, job centre staff will help them complete the application form and then deal directly with staff at the local authority who are responsible for free school meals.

6.2 Information sharing

Almost all of our respondents noted that a greater degree of information sharing would help to identify more potential recipients of free school meals. There was an acknowledgement that the Data Protection Act effectively serves to limit access to information held by other local authority departments or other government offices, and that this in turn can serve to inhibit identification of those eligible for free school meals.

For the small number with direct access to a benefits system, some will target all names on the system who may be eligible. This targeting is generally conducted through the procedure of a 'mail drop' where information packs are sent out to the potential applicants' home. However, those who only have indirect access to the benefits system via colleagues cannot carry out any form of direct marketing. The reason for this lies in the fact that they are not permitted to directly target those on the benefits system.

While information sharing was seen to offer real potential in helping to identify pupils who may be eligible for free school meals, it is not a failsafe approach that can be adopted. As the following quotation notes, information held on those in receipt of housing benefit does not include information on eligible pupils.

"We can't really do that. We tried looking at housing benefit, but that didn't work, because although it has information on eligible income, there's no information on eligible children. The DSS/ DWP who maybe hold that kind of information don't give it to the local authority. But if this information could be forwarded on or even set up as a separate, automatic 'flag' it would certainly help to identify or contact parents who would qualify."

Although there may be limitations in having access to the benefits system, this does provide opportunities for information to be cross-referenced on likely candidates for free school meals. To an extent, those authorities combining the application form for free school meals and clothing grants, are able to ascertain eligibility of those who apply for clothing grants only.

There is wide recognition from many local authorities that if they had procedures in place that would enable them to have access to this information, then they would have a greater chance of maximising registration for free school meals.

6.3 Overcoming stigma

Overcoming stigma in relation to free school meals has been recognised as a complicated barrier to overcome, in part because this is an emotional issue based on people's perceptions.

Among secondary schools, one approach that has been adopted by most local authorities is cashless catering systems. All pupils use a cashless system to pay for school meals and children in receipt of free school meals are treated in exactly the same way as those paying for their own school meals. Only one or two individuals in any secondary school need to be aware of who is receiving free school meals and that is generally the person responsible for topping up the cashless card with credit for free school meals. Views on this system in secondary schools were generally very positive among most local authority staff. However, one respondent noted that it can be expensive to introduce in the first instance.

Because of the younger age of children in primary schools and an inability to deal with this system of payment, there is no equivalent to a cashless card system. Most of our respondents felt this was less of an issue for the younger age group because the issue of stigma is not felt to be as high within primary schools.

That said, some primary schools have tried to introduce an equivalent system whereby parents are asked to pay in advance for school meals so that children having free school meals would not be easily identifiable to other pupils. One school had requested parents to pay for school meals a month in advance. However, a respondent in another local authority where there were much higher levels of those eligible for free school meals, felt that it would be unfair to ask parents to pay for anything longer than a week in advance.

6.4 Marketing / information

All of the local authorities provide information to parents and / or pupils to try and ensure that as many families as possible are aware of their entitlement to free school meals and there are a number of information channels that have been adopted, including:

• Inclusion of information on free school meals in information packs distributed by schools to their pupils, often those about to start in primary school. One local authority has included a DVD on this concerning the whole registration process;
• Leaflets/ posters advertising the free school meals process (these are placed in schools, in local council offices and/ or in public buildings such as libraries, leisure centres and so on);
• Leaflets are available directly from some local authority offices. Leaflets normally contain information on the eligibility criteria for free school meals, where to collect application forms from, advice on the type of evidence that would be needed to validate claims and where to return forms to;
• Advertising in local papers or on local radio, although only a small number of local authorities have adopted this approach. It tends to be towards the end of the school year when parents of new school pupils may be giving consideration to their child's needs and when re-registration letters are being distributed to those already in receipt of free school meals;

"At this time of year we put an advert in the press reminding parents of not just free school meal entitlement but also school clothing grants, higher school bursary and education maintenance allowances."

• Two local authorities have a free phone telephone number in place and applicants are encouraged to ring if they have any concerns over their application or need any advice on how to fill out the application form;
• Council officers who work across a range of council offices and who are on hand to deal with any queries applicants may have, or provide help in completing application forms and ascertaining eligibility.

One local authority respondent whose authority have used a variety of different approaches noted,

"We're fairly pro-active in trying to make parents aware of their entitlements. There are leaflets that get sent out to the schools, and posters and also a press release going out about the changes and streamlining of the application process this year. Hopefully with the posters, advertising in the press and radio, people become aware of it, even if they've never applied in the past. We want to make sure that free school meals are advertised through leisure centres, libraries and schools - so people have got awareness of it."

Another local authority respondent noted,

"We have application forms and make them available in schools, libraries, and all the local area registration offices. There's also the website where it tells you all about free school meals and how you can apply for them. We've re-publicised the form too and made it more user friendly - it's all tick boxes. And on the form we tell them the opening hours of the local registration offices, and if they need it, we can provide information in Cantonese, Hindu or Punjabi and Gaelic too. It's a joint form for both free school meals and clothing."

Most of the local authority respondents participating in this study noted that there are a number of different communication or information channels that can be used to provide information on free school meals. Many towards the end of the school year will provide information posters to be displayed in schools. Some put advertisements in local papers, council offices, job centres, libraries or other public sources such as leisure centres.

6.5 Involving schools in the registration process

From the telephone interviews it was established that most local authorities (although not all) provide information on eligibility criteria and registration processes to schools for the schools to then provide this information to parents. Most pupils starting in primary school will be provided with an information pack by the school containing information on a variety of school matters. For many, this will include information on eligibility criteria for free school meals and how to apply for free school meals. However, if this information pack is only provided to Primary 1 pupils, then others in later primary years who are new to the area, or who become eligible for free school meals due to changing circumstances, may not be provided with the necessary information.

One local authority noted that some schools in their area also opt to provide information on eligibility for free school meals at other points in the school year, although this is not a requirement placed on schools.

Local authorities play a key role in the overall registration process for free school meals. However, some of our respondents noted that a combined approach between themselves and schools works well.

"I see quite a number of schools now that automatically send a form out to every pupil in the school but that is entirely down to the school as to whether they are doing that or not. They don't all do it."

Other local authority respondents who do not currently involve schools at all in the registration process noted that this could be a helpful approach to ensuring that all those who are entitled to register, actually do so. That said, there is no current requirement on the part of schools to become involved in ascertaining eligibility for free school meals. Some of our local authority respondents, while acknowledging that schools can play a very useful part in the application process, noted that many schools will be too busy to take on yet more work.

Another advantage in involving schools in the registration process, is that school staff may have local information on pupils who are likely to qualify for free school meals, particularly in the more rural areas where school size is smaller and the population tend to know each other well. One local authority noted that many schools in their area will contact them with details of parents who they believe are eligible for free school meals.

"Some schools are very proactive in that way. I do know they are out there - they know the families, they know the situations and they'll push the parents. Sometimes parents need a wee push. Yes, all the schools are quite pro-active in this area - and they are aware of what is going on in their own community."

In some schools, information is also provided to parents on school induction days.

In summary, there are a wide range of approaches that different local authorities have adopted in order to attempt to overcome the problems of identifying pupils entitled to free school meals. These have included:

• Information campaigns in public locations;
• Dissemination of information via schools/ school information packs;
• Advertising in local press/ radio;
• Greater involvement of schools in helping to identify potential applicants.

Over and above these initiatives, most areas have introduced cashless card systems in secondary schools and this helps to reduce the stigma attached to receipt of free school meals.

In an ideal world, there would be a much greater degree of information sharing between different local authority departments and other government departments.