Parents devastated as government rejects state school for children with special needs stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
KidsCan/Supplied
Schools are preparing for the start of term to be tougher than ever. “It’s a genuine struggle,” Jan Love, a social worker at Mana College in Porirua, said. It’s rare for students to bring lunch with them – if they do, it’s a bag of chips. The food the school gets from KidsCan is a huge help, she said. “You always really feel it when you see a kid stuffing it in their pocket. “You know the difference between someone being greedy and someone being genuine – you feel it and it’s hard.” The biggest challenge at the start of the year is getting students back to class. There is always a handful who get stuck in Auckland or Rotorua over the holidays, she said.