Heads Up 23 September 2022

HEADS UP

Family Information Service - supporting families around the cost-of-living crisis.

As all families are facing challenges around the increased cost of living, the Family Information Service are putting various measures in place to maximise the opportunities for families to access support.
 
  • FIS Helpline and face to face support

The FIS helpline is available from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, the team have great knowledge on the services that are available locally and nationally to support families, and is a great first point of contact for families and professionals working with families.  Helpline 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday:  01926 742274.  fis@warwickshire.gov.uk 

Where a families needs are more complex, or there may be barriers to them accessing services such as language, mental health, SEND or crisis point the FIS team can work face to face with a family for a number of weeks to ensure the support they needs is in place.

  • Newslettters
In addition to a weekly electronic newsletter the FIS team are now producing a monthly cost of living special edition on the first Thursday of each month.  The first of these special editions was published last Thursday and focused on energy saving.  A link to the newsletter can be found here.  You can sign up to future editions using the link here.  Future editions will focus on childcare funding support and accessing free school meals. Many schools either support their families to sign up to the newsletter or forward directly onto them.
 
  • Free School Meals and Pupil Premium
We would like to encourage and support all eligible families to apply for free school meals.  We are developing our work around this which will include leaflets, improved webpage information and sessions to support parents to make the online application.  We would be happy to work with individual schools to maximise the uptake of free school meals which in turn brings pupil premium into your school budgets.  In the short term, and ahead of census day on 6th October, it would be great if all schools could send the message out to parents on how to apply.  Suggested wording for you to use/add to below:
 
  • Free School Meals
We encourage all parents who think they may be eligible to apply for free school meals.  Even if you don't think your child would want to further information around free school meals:
  • Your child doesn't have to receive a school meal every day, or event at all.
  • Sandwiches/cold food options are usually available as well as hot food.  Check with your school to see what they provide.
  • Your child will be eligible to attend the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme which provides a wide range of holiday activities with a meal during the summer, Easter and Christmas school holidays.
  • Children of parents/carers who work, may still be entitled to FSM (dependent on income)
  • If your child attends a local authority maintained nursery and is receiving education either side of the lunch period, they might be eligible for FSM
  • 16 to 18 year olds in education can gain FSM (must be age 16 to 18 on 31 August to be eligible for free meal in the following academic year).  You can apply directly to the college.
  • FSM eligibility has been permanently extended to children in households with no recourse to public funds subject to maximum income thresholds.
  • Benefits will not stop or be reduced if you apply for FSM.
  • FSM applications should be submitted to the local authority your child's school is in, even if you live in another authority.
The free school meals application process is online.  More details and access to the application form can be found  here
If you need support with applying for free school meals please either contact your school or the Family Information Service.
Family Information Service - helpline 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
Tel - 01926 742274

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