Wednesday, 8 June 2022

School breakfast clubs

Ms KILKENNY (Carrum) (19:24): (6415) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is an update from the Minister for Education on the school breakfast club program being run at local schools in my community, specifically the number of breakfasts and also lunches that have been served at participating schools. There are many of them: Banyan Fields primary, Belvedere Park primary, Carrum Downs secondary, Kananook primary, Patterson Lakes primary, Patterson River secondary, Rowellyn Park primary, Seaford North primary, Seaford Park primary, Seaford primary and Skye primary.

We know that students come to school hungry—in fact statistics tell us that as many as one in seven children arrives at school with an empty stomach—and we know that without breakfast growing kids cannot learn or concentrate to the best of their ability. We want all kids to reach their full potential, so making sure they have a healthy breakfast at the start of the school day is a really smart and practical thing to do. We have also seen that it builds social interactions and connections, with kids joining together for breakfast. I am delighted that schools in my electorate are offering healthy breakfasts and lunches to students, whatever their circumstances. It is making a real difference. I look forward to an update from the minister on the progress of the school breakfast club program at my local schools.