Additional funding of £256,000 to tackle children’s holiday hunger in West Dunbartonshire has been allocated by the Scottish Government.
The local authority has already benefited from £100,000 per year to support their holiday hunger fund to ensure the provision of meals and social activities for school pupils over the school break.
The money has allowed the council’s community partners to work together to address these challenges and the associated costs for families.
READ MORE: Glasgow holiday hunger programme to feed children during school break opens for applications
Children from priority family groups, larger families, families with a disabled child or adult, young mothers, families with children under the age of one and minority ethnic families have been identified as being eligible for targeted support.
Additional focus has also been placed on young carers as well as children and young people in care.
Positive feedback from parents has now been provided to the council with 93% of children enjoying all or most of the activities and 95% of parents rating the breakfasts or lunches as very good or good.
During the education committee, councillors expressed their delight at the progress made.
Labour councillor Michelle McGinty said: “I would like to welcome this report and thank all the officers and groups who took part in this programme.
“I think sometimes when you see programmes you don’t realise the impact they have until you see the individual cases so I think it was really good that you put the individual cases on this.”
Leader of the opposition, councillor Conaghan, added: “I think it is a brilliant programme that we have provided over the last number of years. It has been some of the best money that has been committed to this type of programme.
“It has been so well received and to receive this additional £256,000 on top of that from the Scottish Government is fantastic.
“To speak to some of these parents and carers through this programme fills you with absolute joy. What we do is imaginative and non stigmatised.
“They can access the service in a way that preserves their dignity. I can’t praise the staff enough.”
The council is now planning for the October and Christmas school holiday programmes, taking into account the advice given by parents and carers.
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