Holidays, Activities and Food (HAF) services (SC240025)

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme in Kent focusses on children’s physical health and wellbeing by providing healthy food and exciting activities for children and young people during the school holidays. Families of children aged four to 16 years, who are in receipt of benefits related to Free School Meals (FSM), can access free opportunities during the Easter, summer, and Christmas holidays. This programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) accompanied by grant conditions set out in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by KCC.

This work is taking place due to funding from the Department for Education to address the difficult time some families face during the school holiday periods. Increased food, childcare costs and reduced incomes can mean that families struggle to provide food and activities for children.

The HAF programme offers a range of enriching activities and encourages young people to be more active during the school holidays not become socially isolated. Families who take part in the programme will also be able to develop their understanding of nutrition and food budgeting by having access to information and support.

Local authorities have flexibility about how they spend the HAF grant and deliver this provision to best serve the needs of the children and families in their areas, however, provision should remain in line with the framework of standards set out in the programme guidance: Guidance: Holiday activities and food programme 2024.

Commissioning a HAF Service will support Framing Kent’s Future by contributing to the commitment to ‘work within the system to ensure a strong focus on preventative community services, building a strong strategic relationship with the social sector in Kent and their role in supporting a system-wide focus on prevention’ and support vulnerable children and young people across the county.