MORE than one million children are missing out on free care and clubs over the summer holidays.
Juggling work and kids can be a huge struggle for working parents during the school holidays.
But there is help available for families on certain benefits or who usually receive free school meals.
The little-known Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is offered by most councils in England to help provide childcare, activities and healthy meals to children from low-income families.
As part of the initiative, children can go to the likes of sports, music and arts clubs, as well as enjoy a nutritious meal each day absolutely free.
Around two million are eligible – yet just 600,000 took advantage last summer, according to the Department for Education.
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Funding for the programme is allocated to councils in England from the government.
The exact help available depends on which part of the country you live in.
Most widely offer it to children already in receipt of benefits-related free school meals.
However, in some areas the net is cast more widely and children living in areas of high deprivation or children with low attendance rates at school, for example, can also access the free care.
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The care on offer can be worth as much as £376 over the summer holidays, providing a huge helping hand to families struggling between term time.
Contact your local council to see exactly what is available.
Here are some examples of what is on offer.
West Berkshire
The council says it is working with local schools, voluntary and community organisations, and childcare providers to offer the HAF programme through free clubs.
Holiday club places are available for the equivalent of at least four hours a day, four days a week and four weeks of the summer holidays.
Booking a standard session at the one of the clubs outside of the HAF costs £23.50 a day.
Over a four-day week that would be £94 and over four weeks of the summer holidays that amounts to £376.
Clubs offer arts and crafts, board games, karaoke, drama and sports, including football, cricket, basketball, tennis, hockey and more.
The scheme is available to primary and secondary school aged children who are eligible for benefits-related school meals.
You can book places online at Westberks.gov.uk/article/40859/Holiday-Activities-and-Food-HAF-Programme.
Hampshire
Hampshire County Council and the Isle of Wight council deliver the HAF programme through the Connect4Communities programme.
The scheme is for children from reception through to year 11 who qualify for free school meals.
The council says it has the discretion to use up to 15% of its HAF funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places to children who don’t receive free school meals but could benefit.
This could include at-risk or vulnerable children, young carers, children with an education, health and care plan, and children who has low attendance rates at school or who are at risk of exclusion.
Many of the clubs in the area run a standard 8am-3pm day for free as part of the HAF programme.
West Sussex
Families eligible for the HAF programme will be able to book 16 sessions in the summer holidays.
There are a wide variety of clubs on offer including forest and beach schools, skateboarding tuition, table tennis, music production, computer programming, as well as multi-activity camps.
You will need a HAF code to book, which will have been sent out through an award letter from the Free School Meal team.
If you don’t have a code you can contact the council.
What are free school meals?
Free school meals are available to millions of pupils across England, Scotland and Wales.
Under the support, children get access to at least one nutritional meal per day from Monday to Friday through their school.
Criteria to get them varies across all three countries.
Scotland and Wales have committed to eventually rolling out the benefit for all primary school pupils.
At present in Scotland, all students can get free school meals between reception and year five, regardless of the parents’ income.
In Wales, all pupils in reception get free school meals, and by the end of the year, this offer will be extended to all year one and two pupils.
By the end of 2024, all primary school pupils in Wales will get free school meals.
In England, all children in reception, year one and two can get a free meal in school.
After that, you have to be receiving certain benefits to show you need help paying for your child's meals.
You might get free school meals in England for a children beyond Year 2 if you receive one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Tax Credits
- Universal Credit
How can I apply?
The application process for free school meals is different depending on where you live.
In England, you can find out whether your child is eligible on your local council's website.
If your child is entitled to free school meals, they'll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme, which offers support over school holidays.
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If you don't know what council area you fall under, you should use the government's council locator tool found online.
You should apply through your local council if you live in Wales and Scotland too.
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