One in five children are living in poverty in Knowsley, one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK.
The situation has become starker since the pandemic, with a jump in families claiming universal credit as well as a rise in the number of children receiving free school meals since 2019.
In secondary schools in the borough, nearly half of all pupils are now in receipt of free school meals, while families of over a third of primary school pupils also receive support with lunchtime meals.
