Greenwich Council's Cabinet has agreed to introduce food provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who are educated at home.
The decision, made at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, will see children who are receiving 'education otherwise than at school' (EOTAS) become eligible for equivalent food provision. This provision will be delivered via cash vouchers at the beginning of each half term, mirroring the rate of free school meals. This initiative aligns with non-statutory guidance from the Department for Education and follows feedback from residents regarding the lack of such provision.
Children's Services and the Advice and Benefits Service have received complaints and correspondence from residents regarding the lack of this provision, prompting the policy change. The new policy for EOTAS children will be implemented from the beginning of the 2026/27 academic year. Parents or carers of eligible children will receive a cash voucher issued at the beginning of each half term.
To be eligible for this equivalent food provision, children must meet specific criteria: they must qualify for targeted free school meals if attending a state-funded school, possess a finalised Education, Health and Care Plan, and receive EOTAS under Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014, with no education setting named in Section I of their plan. Eligibility will be checked every term.
The cash vouchers will be worth £15 per week per child, which is described as being roughly equivalent (rounding to the nearest £) to the rate paid per child to schools to provide free school meals.
The provision will apply only during term time (190 school days per year).
While the exact number of children benefiting each year cannot be specified due to the dynamic nature of the EOTAS cohort and eligibility checks, a top-end estimate suggests up to 20 children could receive support, costing approximately £13,500 per annum inclusive of administrative overheads. This new provision will be funded through an underspend from the GLA Mayor's Free School Meals programme.
The meeting information states that the cash vouchers gives parents and carers flexibility to purchase suitable food for their children.
Furthermore, Post Office Payout is a well-established payment mechanism used extensively by the Advice and Benefits Service, and previous feedback from service users on receiving cash this way has been positive, addressing how the council will ensure the vouchers are effectively used for food purchases and reach the intended children.
Councillor Sandra Bauer, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Post-16 Futures, highlighted the importance of these measures in supporting vulnerable families. The Cabinet's decision is detailed in the Decisions 15th-Jul-2026 14.00 Cabinet document.
