At Elaine Primary School, we understand the cost of supporting your children through school can put pressure on your household budgets. The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in money worries for many more families, and now we are facing even further pressures with increases in the cost of living for essentials like food, heating and fuel.     
We want to do all we can to make every school day affordable for all our families and to help you find the support you might need if you have money concerns.

Getting Help
Many people are currently finding it hard to make ends meet, and often try to sort things out themselves, not seeking help until the situation has become very difficult.  Whatever the issues you are facing, we would encourage you to ask for support.  We understand this can be very overwhelming, both the school and the help organisations listed below will help with sensitivity and confidentiality.

We can help with:

• Food bank referrals to Noah’s Ark, The Medway Food Bank and Gillingham Street Angels.
• School Uniform.
• Toiletries and sanitary products.
• Sign posting to other agencies for housing, benefits and other services.

Please come and talk to us about your concerns or worries so that we can work together to ensure you can access the right support at the right time.

• Contact the school office and ask to speak to Sarah Sparkes.
• You can book a coffee and catch up with Sarah Sparkes.
• One-off purchases of white goods, beds and mattresses, food vouchers, clothing vouchers and energy vouchers (this can be accessed once per year per family).

Local advice and support services
Medway council have a section on their website dedicated to supporting residents.

Medway Council Website
Cost of Living - Help for households