AROUND a quarter of Australian children miss out on breakfast, starting the day distracted and hungry.

Around the ACT, breakfast clubs feed about 500 children in 11 schools in Canberra and Queanbeyan.

“Studies show that 25 per cent of kids miss breakfast and it has been identified that disadvantaged areas are more prone,” says Prue Spence, food security team leader of ACT Red Cross.

“But some parents are dropping their children off early because they have to get to work, too,” Prue says.

“Some schools have up to 70 children attend breakfast club and some kids just come along for the social element as well.”

Kids who go to school without breakfast have problems with concentration, are more prone to fidgeting and find learning difficult by mid-morning, but the benefits of the Good Start Breakfast Club extend well beyond an improvement in concentration.

“It’s a good opportunity for the teachers to get to know the kids in a different way and it helps with learning about food nutrition and developing social skills,” says Prue.

“By sitting down at a table and sharing food together, the children learn about table manners and hygiene as well.

“We have also found there is a positive impact on school attendance and punctuality. A lot of kids who might otherwise be late to school are getting there early for breakfast club.”

The Red Cross provides up to 100 volunteers to the 11 schools in the region.

“Some of our volunteers were previously teachers and so they realise what a great program this is,” Prue says.

“Our volunteers have an interest in nutrition as well as helping kids. They understand that breakfast is an important part of growth and development.

“Some are uni students and some are in their 70s. We also have corporate volunteers, but it would be good to have more.”

Sanitarium provides cereals for breakfast club and Red Cross provides assistance for the first three years, but after that individual schools need to find sponsors for the program.

To volunteer with Red Cross contact 6234 7634.