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‘Daily challenge’: the hidden costs of living that affect families
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‘Daily challenge’: the hidden costs of living that affect families

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4 minutes, 41 seconds Read

Key points
  • Reports show that more Australians are relying on charities for food assistance than ever before.
  • The charity sector is struggling to meet schools’ demand for support with meals and supplies.
  • A child development expert says a lack of food or essential items can affect a child for life.
Overwhelmed charities say more Australian children could be dropping out of school as poverty-driven meal skipping affects a growing number of families.
Food aid organization OzHarvest has been around for 21 years, but says 2025 will be the worst year ever for food insecurity.
NSW state manager Richard Watson told SBS News meeting growing demand is a “daily challenge”.
“Food insecurity in Australia is often overlooked – we describe it as a hidden crisis affecting so many families right now,” he said.
“Kids arrive at school tired and unfocused, families are stressed about how to stretch their budgets, and much more [are] go without because they prioritize other bills.”
OzHarvest delivers more than 700,000 meals across Australia to 1,550 charities, many of which are “stretched to the limit”, Watson said.

“Our latest community needs survey found there has been a 54 per cent increase in the number of people being turned away from charity doors as frontline organizations struggle to meet continued high demand.”

“The demand is so high,” some schools turned away

A key sector accessing food aid is educational institutions, with OzHarvest working with 245 schools, TAFEs and colleges across the country.
One program that provides food assistance to students is called Nourishing Schools, and is run separately through OzHarvest Western Australia.
Program coordinator Tim James is working with volunteers to pack 280 baskets each week as demand for the program grows in Perth and regional WA.

“We have started in about 24 schools and the demand is so high that more and more schools want to participate,” he told ABC Radio Perth.

Source: SBS news

Through the Nourishing Schools program, OzHarvest delivers fresh groceries and healthy snacks to schools for breakfast and lunch, as well as pantry items for families.

The program supports more than 140 schools, with many more being added to a waiting list.
“We’re not trying to turn down schools, but we do have schools that have recently applied and we’re just saying, ‘I’m sorry, we just don’t have capacity, if we have the opportunity we’ll get back to you,’” James said.
“The waiting list is growing and we don’t have good options to get more schools involved in the near future.”
While food security is a national challenge, Watson says it is most acutely felt in low-income and regional areas.

“These schools often rely on food assistance to ensure their students have access to regular, nutritious meals, both at school and in the form of food parcels to provide their households with much-needed food,” he said.

Children miss more than just meals

Doug Taylor, CEO of The Smith Family, said more schools are trying to provide basic support to students through meals and supplies.
The national children’s education charity supports 73,000 disadvantaged students across Australia in 800 schools.
A recent survey by the foundation among the families of these children found that 60 percent of parents found it difficult to afford essential school supplies this year.

“There are rising costs for school supplies, excursions, books and school uniforms, all of which are very important,” he said.

“We often underestimate how important it is to have a school uniform like your peers when it comes to being part of the school community.”
Taylor also said a “new frontier of poverty” is creating disadvantage in the classroom, as about 44 percent of disadvantaged students do not have access to laptops at home.
“Many schools now have a ‘bring your own device’ policy, which is great for young people’s learning, but it’s a real challenge for families who don’t have access.”

Taylor explained that poverty and disadvantage can also increase absenteeism and cause children to drop out of school.

“Our school completion rate is at an all-time low,” he said.
“While some of that has to do with COVID-19, there are also factors such as mental wellbeing and disadvantage that contribute to that.”

Data from NAPLAN results show that a young person experiencing disadvantage – “not having access to those essential educational needs” – could be four to five years behind their peers in literacy and numeracy, he added.

Importance of nutrition, school supplies

Dr. Hannah Kirk, a developmental psychologist and senior lecturer at Monash University, said children need ‘adequate nutrition’ to keep their brains healthy.
“The brain uses an enormous amount of body energy and needs to be nourished accordingly,” she told SBS News.
“Skipping meals leads to reduced glucose availability and can impact neural systems that support important cognitive processes, such as attention and working memory.
“Without these fundamental skills that allow us to concentrate and remember information, acquiring new knowledge and skills is challenging.”

Kirk explained that being hungry at school can cause irritability and dysregulation, which affects classroom engagement.

“Nutritional deficiencies are associated with increased illness, poorer sleep and reduced physical activity, all of which can contribute to poorer development and increased school absenteeism.”
A lack of provision can also lead to social exclusion and reduced self-esteem, as children may feel ashamed or different, which can lead to social withdrawal and reduced “social-emotional development”.
Kirk said educational involvement plays a “huge role” in children’s developmental trajectories.
“Premature withdrawal from school can lead to reduced skills development and limit later employment opportunities, as well as increase the risk of involvement with the justice system.
“It is therefore crucial that children’s involvement in education is a priority.”

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