School holidays can be a difficult time for some families with children. Parents may struggle to pay for extra food if their children usually get free meals at school. It can be hard for families on low incomes to pay for things for their children to do during the holidays, as leisure activities, trips and holiday schemes can be expensive.
For some children that can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children and young people from disadvantaged families:
less likely to access organised out-of-school activities.
more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health.
more likely to experience social isolation.
Free holiday clubs are a response to this issue and evidence suggests that they can have a positive impact on children and young people and that they work best when they:
provide consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities.
cover more than just breakfast or lunch.
involve children (and parents) in food preparation.
In November 2020, the government announced that the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme will be expanded across the whole of England in 2021. Barking and Dagenham are seeking applications from local organisations to deliver the HAF Outcomes in the school Christmas holidays in December 2021 - January 2022.
School holidays can be a difficult time for some families with children. Parents may struggle to pay for extra food if their children usually get free meals at school. It can be hard for families on low incomes to pay for things for their children to do during the holidays, as leisure activities, trips and holiday schemes can be expensive.
For some children that can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children and young people from disadvantaged families:
less likely to access organised out-of-school activities.
more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health.
more likely to experience social isolation.
Free holiday clubs are a response to this issue and evidence suggests that they can have a positive impact on children and young people and that they work best when they:
provide consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities.
cover more than just breakfast or lunch.
involve children (and parents) in food preparation.
In November 2020, the government announced that the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme will be expanded across the whole of England in 2021. Barking and Dagenham are seeking applications from local organisations to deliver the HAF Outcomes in the school Christmas holidays in December 2021 - January 2022.
School holidays can be a difficult time for some families with children. Parents may struggle to pay for extra food if their children usually get free meals at school. It can be hard for families on low incomes to pay for things for their children to do during the holidays, as leisure activities, trips and holiday schemes can be expensive.
