a smol hygiene poverty resource for teachers.
With the help of experienced voices across education who understand the realities of school life, we’ve created a helpful guide for UK teachers and school staff to navigate conversations around hygiene poverty in the classroom.
Hygiene poverty shows up quietly in school, so knowing how to act or where to start isn't always easy. This free resource gives clear, practical advice for these exact situations.
why is this resource needed?
As smol continues to help UK school children facing hygiene poverty, so many school staff members say they’ve never received training around how to talk about hygiene poverty, despite seeing it in their classrooms.
This resource pack is built to help fill that gap with useful guidance for sensitive, real-world situations.
what this resource covers:
- What hygiene poverty is, and how it can show up in the classroom
- How to approach a child sensitively and without stigma
- What to say (and what not to say)
- How to respond when a child asks for help
- Handling peer comments and protecting a child’s dignity
- How to frame hygiene poverty with a class
- How to support families and provide further help
developed with education experts.
This resource was authored in collaboration with Professor Sam Wass, Anna Gawthorpe and Alice Reedy, Primary and Early Years PGCE, University of East London, Martin Ellory, Reception Teacher, Childeric Primary and NAHT, the school leaders’ union.
Author bios are listed below:
- Sam Wass is Director for the Institute for the Science of Early Years at the University of East London. His research looks at how early life home and school environments affect outcomes in children from diverse backgrounds
- Anna Gawthorpe and Alice Reedy run the Ofsted Outstanding-rated Primary and Early Years PGCE at the University of East London, where they work with schools throughout the local area
- Martin Ellory is a Reception teacher who has lived and worked in Inner London throughout his career. He enjoys exploring play to improve children's communication and reduce the disadvantage gap
- The research is also backed and reviewed by the NAHT (National Association of Head Teachers)
about smol Suds in Schools.
Suds in Schools is our scheme to help schools support pupils affected by hygiene poverty by providing free, in-school laundry facilities and ongoing laundry capsules.
Learn more about Suds in Schools
Nominate a school for Suds in Schools support
So far we have placed over 130 washing machines in schools around the UK.
