Carly Barrett, whose sister Samantha Madgin was stabbed to death in Wallsend in 2007, is calling for all kinship children to be given free school meals. She has set up an online petition that has already been signed by more than 500 people.
Barrett, 35, took kinship of her brother Lee Madgin's son after Lee died in May 2017 following a routine foot operation at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. The boy, now 11, was entitled to free school meals, a free school bus pass, vouchers and free activity clubs while at primary school. Under new Government legislation, Barrett had to reapply for these ahead of him starting secondary school in September and was told he no longer qualified because their household income was above the threshold.
Petition launched after nephew loses entitlement
Barrett, who also has two children aged 13 and 11, believes all kinship children should receive free school meals regardless of household income. Her petition is called "Free School Meals for Children in Kinship Care - Regardless of Household Income." It will need 10,000 signatures for the government to respond and 100,000 for it to be considered for debate in Parliament. The petition will stay open until February 3 next year.
She told ChronicleLive: "It's another kick in the teeth for us. We're doing the same job as a foster carer but don't have any of the support. There's no financial, mental health or emotional support."
Family's history of tragedy and campaigning
Samantha Madgin had just given birth to her son Callum when she was killed by 15-year-old Jordan Jobson in 2007. Jobson was convicted of murder and jailed for life. Following Samantha's death, Barrett and her mother Alison Madgin set up Samantha's Legacy to educate young people about the dangers of carrying knives. They were each awarded an MBE by the King at Windsor Castle in December last year.
Lee Madgin had surgery on March 30, 2017 to repair a heel injury from a 2014 fall. He underwent a second operation on May 4 after being readmitted. An inquest heard he took a turn for the worse on May 11 and died a week later, though the cause of his deterioration has remained a mystery.
Call for national roll-out of support
Barrett, who works as a learning mentor, will now have to find extra money to cover her nephew's school meals, bus pass and club activities. She said: "Since he's been in primary school he's had free school meals. This year they've brought a new legislation out where parents have to reapply for the free school meals. Previously it was his mother who applied and she would have been on benefits."
She added: "They're trialling allowances for kinship children and they have picked seven areas of the country. Newcastle is one of them. If I lived a mile up the road I would be entitled to an allowance. Hopefully that is going to be rolled out across the country because, in my eyes, that's only fair."
On the petition, she says: "Kinship carers step in during trauma, neglect, bereavement or family crisis, often preventing children from entering the care system and saving the Government thousands each year. Many of these children are recognised as vulnerable and qualify for Pupil Premium Plus, yet kinship carers are expected to pay for school meals if they do not claim benefits. This unfairly penalises families who step up to keep children safe."
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Kinship carers play an incredible role looking after family members and helping give every child the very best start in life. That is why we are expanding support to them through a new financial allowance we are piloting in areas across England, as well as a new law to make sure councils set out clear and accessible support for kinship carers."
The spokesperson added: "Our historic expansion of free school meals will help around 500,000 more children and marks the most significant step in supporting families across the country which, as with all programmes, we will continue to keep under review to make sure it makes a real difference where it is needed most."
