It’s time to get Connect-ed for Free School Meals!

The vast majority of parents whose children are eligible for free school meals do make an application, but unfortunately there are some who do not.

Thankfully, however, the Education Authority’s multi-purpose portal EA Connect is proving a game-changer in increasing uptake – by making the application process simpler and more convenient.

Now families can log on to make applications for Free School Meals and Uniform Grant, Admissions, SEN Annual Reviews and Transport assistance all in the same place.

It is very encouraging that the number of applications made by the end of June this year was more than twice the figure at the same point 12 months ago, but we don’t want any eligible families to miss out.

Having a nutritious school meal each day will help pupils make the most of their educational experience and be the best they can be inside and outside the classroom, which is EA’s vision for every child and young person we serve.

I can certainly testify to this from my experiences as a school principal previously and am very aware that being able to access the free school meals their children are entitled to can make a real difference for parents/carers of eligible pupils.

We are committed to making the Free School Meals application process as straightforward as possible for families, and the feedback from users of EA Connect has been overwhelmingly positive.

Making an application is less time-consuming as each child’s details only need to be entered onto EA Connect once and will be available for use in all applications thereafter.

For example, if you have already applied for a school place this year using EA Connect, your child’s details will already be stored and can be selected for the Free School Meals application.

EA Connect is mobile-friendly, so suited to the modern lifestyle and needs of busy parents wanting to access the portal while out and about. It is also easy to save applications for finishing later. Details can be updated at any time.

Being able to use screenshots for proof of benefits received is more convenient than photocopies. Another beneficial feature is the notifications from EA Connect which help ensure that parents don’t miss important deadlines.

Users are automatically prompted to review a copy of their application to check all information is correct before submission, which helps avoid unwanted delays later in the process.

Those using EA Connect are invited to rate their experience and, to date, well over 90 percent have indicated that they found it ‘good’ or ‘very good’ with many parents using the feedback facility to provide very positive comments.

It is reassuring that parents are telling us they find EA Connect quick, convenient and straightforward to use in making their applications for Free School Meals because we genuinely want to help families to avail of their entitlement.

Free School Meals and Uniform Grant applications are now open on EA Connect. I would strongly encourage all eligible families to submit their applications by July 26 to ensure support is in place for the new school year, although applications will remain open beyond that date.

More information on how to apply is available via the EA website at www.eani.org.uk/fsm

*Chris Scott is the EA’s Head of Pupil Admissions and Financial Support Service