A west Belfast councillor who operates a pre-loved school uniform scheme has said a proposed new law on affordability of uniforms must deliver real change for families.
SDLP councillor Paul Doherty has seen for himself how the “eye-watering” cost of uniforms is driving families into debt through his work with the Andersonstown Road Foodstock Community Solidarity Hub.
While he said the intention of Education Minister Paul Givan to address uniform costs is to be welcomed, the substance of any new legislation has to ensure the cost becomes affordable for all families.
Earlier this week, the minister announced he intends to bring forward legislation having gained Executive support.
“It is welcome that the eye-watering costs of school uniforms and the strain this causes for many families is finally getting the attention it deserves,” said Mr Doherty.
“However, we must make sure that any legislation brought forward actually deals with the issue at hand — the unaffordable nature of school uniforms for many families.”
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“The cost of a uniform should never be a barrier to any child’s education,” he added.
“I’ve seen first-hand the hardship and stress brought upon parents and families every year as a result of these costs.
“By September this year, close to 900 children were kitted out at our pre-loved uniform hub at Foodstock.
“Tinkering around the edges of this problem won’t please anybody, certainly not parents or schools.
“I am concerned by the minister’s talk of ‘guidance’ and the indication that much of these policies will still be left in the hands of individual schools.
“That will provide little comfort to the parents I deal with on a regular basis who are left lying awake at night worried about how they are going to afford a uniform for their child.”
“This legislation provides us with a real opportunity to address this issue, but it’s important we get it right,” he continued.
“I will be using my years of experience dealing with this issue, parents and schools to work with my SDLP colleagues in the Assembly to ensure that this legislation reflects the experience of parents who have been in this position and helps schools to deliver affordable uniforms for all.”
The Education Minister will now prepare a School Uniforms Bill to bring before the NI Assembly.
Once in law it will require schools to place affordability at the centre of their policies.
“I previously indicated my intention to bring primary legislation forward and today marks a key milestone in enabling me to do just that,” the minister said.
“School uniforms play an important role in the ethos of our schools. They help to improve behaviour and a sense of belonging and identity. But we want to be sure they are affordable for parents.
“While there is much good practice in our schools, there are still some whose uniform policies do not place affordability at the centre or follow the current guidance. I am concerned that parents should not find the cost of a school uniform a significant outlay, and it definitely should not deter them from applying for a particular school.
“Once the new legislation is in place, it will remain a matter for schools to determine whether to have a uniform and, if so, what that uniform will be.
“What the legislation will do is work in tandem with strengthened, statutory guidance to ensure that affordability is transparent and at the centre of school uniform policies.”
In June, Mr Givan launched a public consultation seeking views on school uniform policy. It received almost 7,500 responses, almost half of which were from parents. The results of the consultation will be published early next year.
Some schools have come in for criticism over their uniform policy, which requires parents to buy branded sportswear on top of the usual school uniform for their children. That rules out the possibility of purchasing cheaper uniform from high-street stores.
Uniform policies are set by individual boards of governors, but until now only guidelines urging schools to make uniforms as affordable as possible have existed.
Earlier this year, the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) said the cost to Northern Ireland parents of getting a child through the secondary school year has hit £1,086, up 10% since 2023, with the annual outlay of school uniforms the cost parents dread the most.
Four in 10 parents told the annual ILCU Back to School Survey that they had to deny their child at least one back-to-school item in order to manage.
It said many were falling into debt to cover the costs, typically going £265 into the red, and nearly 90% of parents said they’d been impacted by the rising cost of living.