Children whose families are mired in “deep poverty” are stealing basic items such as food and tissues from their schools and some are missing lessons altogether because they cannot afford the bus fare, a leading social mobility expert has said.
Lee Elliot Major, a professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said children were arriving at schools in England hungry, tired and anxious, while older pupils were missing sixth form because they were already out working to help their families as the cost of living crisis bit.
