More families need grants for uniforms

Relevant offers

Education

Ngaio quake-prone classrooms closed Call for curbs on school exclusions $51 million university hall in hot demand Pub owners give up, open kindergarten Sex attacks turn eye on school bullying Associate head quits after response criticised Wellington schools feel pressure as rolls swell Principal resigns over national standards Mum cops $200 fine for truant daughter UCOL appeals Palmerston North plan

The number of Canterbury families seeking Work and Income grants to pay for school uniforms and stationery has trebled in the past five years.

Last year, 110 special-needs grants totalling $21,760 were made in Canterbury for uniforms – up from 36 grants totalling $7509 in 2005. The average grant was $197.

Stationery grants rose from four totalling $473 in 2005, to 20 totalling $2265 last year, when the average grant was $113.

Social Development ministry chief executive Peter Hughes said special-needs grants were provided in exceptional cases where there was an immediate and essential need.

Nationally, uniform and stationery special-needs grants rose in the past five years, but not by as much as in Canterbury. Last year, 982 grants totalling $215,603 were issued across New Zealand for uniforms, compared with 438 grants totalling $92,194 in 2005. Stationery grants more than doubled in the same period.

Work and Income also provides advance payments to cover uniforms and stationery costs, but these must be paid back.

In Canterbury last year, 2089 advance payments for uniforms, totalling $373,778, were granted, and 467, totalling $57,427, were granted for stationery.

Nationally, $4.5 million in advance payments were made for school uniforms and $696,493 for stationery.

Christchurch City Mission chief executive Michael Gorman said the mission had noticed an increase in the number of people seeking help to pay for school uniforms and stationery.

The City Mission has made 80 grants for school uniforms and equipment this year through its back-to-school fund.

It received 120 inquiries, compared with 80 requests last year.

"Education is really important and we want the kids to be able to go to school on an equal footing with the rest of the kids in the class," Gorman said.

"We don't want them to be seen as charity cases."

More employed people were seeking help, Gorman said.

He suggested expensive uniform items such as blazers be dropped.

- © Fairfax NZ News