New national ‘conversation guide’ aims to support school staff as 1.1 million children face hygiene poverty
A LANDMARK new national guidance framework has been launched to help teachers and school staff navigate difficult classroom conversations about pupil hygiene, as rising child poverty places increasing pressure on schools across the UK.
The first-of-its-kind ‘conversation guide’, developed as part of laundry brand smol’s Suds in Schools programme, comes amid growing concern over hygiene poverty, which now affects an estimated 1.1 million children nationwide.
Research shows that four out of five (82%) UK state school teachers find it difficult to raise the issue of hygiene with pupils or their families, while nearly a third of teachers report daily instances of children experiencing hygiene poverty in their schools. In Wales, 64% of teachers say they have never received training on how to identify or support pupils facing hygiene-related hardship.
The new guidance has been developed in collaboration with Professor Sam Wass, developmental cognitive neuroscientist and Director of the Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth (ISEY) at the University of East London, alongside teacher training specialists and in consultation with the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).
It provides structured, age-specific advice for school staff working with children from early years through to adolescence, helping them approach the issue with sensitivity, professionalism and dignity.
The guide addresses what educators describe as a growing gap in support, as teachers increasingly find themselves acting as unofficial “hygiene first-aiders” in the classroom, responding to the real-life consequences of the cost-of-living crisis on children’s health, wellbeing and social inclusion.
The toolkit includes practical guidance on identifying signs of hygiene poverty, approaching pupils discreetly, responding to requests for help, and preventing isolation and bullying linked to poor hygiene. It also provides strategies for managing peer behaviour and safeguarding children’s dignity in sensitive situations.
The launch comes at a critical time, with campaigners highlighting the absence of hygiene poverty in the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy, despite research linking the issue to an estimated 23 million lost school days each year across the UK.
Gemma Humphreys, Suds in Schools lead at smol, said teachers had made clear that practical facilities alone were not enough.
“For the past five years, Suds in Schools has focused on the ‘hardware’ – installing mini laundrettes in over 130 schools across the UK to help families access clean clothes. But teachers have told us they need the ‘software’ too. They are seeing the emotional, social and academic impact of the cost-of-living crisis every day, and these conversations are incredibly difficult. This guide gives staff the tools they’ve been missing.”
Professor Sam Wass said hygiene poverty had profound psychological effects on children.
“Hygiene poverty isn’t just a practical issue – it’s a cognitive and emotional one. Fear of being singled out can affect a child’s confidence, concentration and ability to form friendships. This guidance helps teachers protect a child’s dignity while keeping them engaged in learning.”
Sarah Hannafin, Head of Policy at the NAHT, added:
“School leaders and staff are frequently left to fill the gaps in other services, but this isn’t sustainable. This toolkit is a vital professional resource for educators dealing with the realities of poverty in classrooms every day. It supports compassionate practice while reinforcing the importance of safeguarding and school protocols.”
The guidance is available free to all UK school staff and forms part of the wider Suds in Schools programme, which has already installed more than 130 mini laundrettes in schools to help pupils and families access clean clothing.
The resource can be downloaded from smol.com/teacherresource.
