Hygiene poverty is forcing more teachers to wash pupils’ school uniforms themselves, with many saying students would face isolation or bullying otherwise.
Data from a survey shows 80% of teachers reported seeing an increase in hygiene poverty among their students.
Some 40% of teachers surveyed by the Hygiene Bank charity say they have washed a student’s uniform themselves to ensure they attend school in clean clothes and 88% say they’ve helped students with essential hygiene products.
St Cuthbert’s Academy in Blackpool is among dozens of schools which now have a launderette after financial support from cleaning brand Smol.
The school’s family support practitioner Lisa Cropper said parents told her “it was like a choice between that [washing] and the electricity”.
Ms Cropper told Sky News: “We’ve had families who couldn’t afford washing powder that particular week, or they say, ‘I don’t get paid until Friday, and uniform day is coming up. Is there any chance we could just do one wash?'”
Headteacher Sarah Smith said: “I never thought that I would need a launderette in our school. Unfortunately, that’s just the nature of the state of affairs for our families.
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“Families find it incredibly difficult to heat their houses, to provide food for their children and to wash clothes. It’s just part and parcel of what happens now.”
The survey, which questioned 503 state school staff who interact with pupils at least five days per week, also found the impact of hygiene poverty affects pupils deeply, often leaving them facing social isolation, bullying, and absenteeism.
Teachers are increasingly taking on responsibilities such as laundry and supplying hygiene products to make students feel safe and accepted, said St Cuthbert’s assistant headteacher Tony Mitchell.
“It’s an increase every year – there’s something extra that teachers are doing,” he said.
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When asked if parents and carers showed any responsibility regarding pupil hygiene, he said that parents can show minimal engagement beyond appreciation.
“They don’t really acknowledge it as such,” Mr Mitchell said. “They would just say, ‘Oh, that’s great, thanks’.”
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A government spokesperson said: “We are taking action to deliver our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and remove the stain of child poverty from our country.
“That includes legislating to bring down school uniform costs by capping the number of branded items, and as many as 750 schools will begin delivering breakfast clubs as early as next April.”
