Holiday Activities & Food Programme CAFS/2023/113

The Department for Education (DfE) informed local authorities that as part of its Best Start in Life mission, the government confirmed the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme will be extended until May 2029. The HAF contract would operate under a lead provider model who would be responsible for the sub-contracting, management, co-ordination and delivery of activities through providers.

The HAF programme provides enriching activities and nutritious meals supporting health, wellbeing and learning readiness as well as supporting parents and carers. This multi-year settlement will enable more strategic planning, innovation, and long-term partnerships, supporting value for money and ensuring that children and young people continue to benefit from enriching holiday experiences and nutritious meals.

The programme runs through the Easter, Summer and Winter school holidays and is a holiday provision for school aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who receive benefits-related free school meals and attend a Stoke-on-Trent school.

School holidays can be pressure points for some families because of increased costs, such as food and childcare and reduced incomes. For some children that can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from disadvantaged families less likely to access organised out-of-school activities. They are more likely to experience 'unhealthy holidays' in terms of nutrition and physical health and more likely to experience social inclusion. Returning to school, after the school holidays (Easter, Summer & Christmas), in poor physical and mental health can have a detrimental impact on children's mental and physical wellbeing, as well as their educational attainment.

As a result of the above and this programme, the DfE want to children who attend this provision to:

• Eat healthily over the school holidays

• Be active during the school holidays

• Take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment

• Be safe and not to be socially isolated

• Have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition

• Be more engaged with school and other local services

• For families to develop their understanding of nutrition and food budgeting

• Families are signposted towards other information and support, for example, health, employment and education.

Since 2022, the HAF programme has provided 15.6 million HAF days, including nearly 5 million during 2023 to 2025 across Winter, Summer and Easter delivery and helps parents to make savings of over £300 a year.