Vacation actions and meals programme 2024

This doc offers info for native authorities delivering the vacation actions and meals programme for 2023 to 24. It is best to learn it alongside the grant dedication letter.

On 27 October 2021, the federal government introduced a 3 yr funding settlement of over £200 million annually for the vacation actions and meals ( HAF ) programme. The primary yr of this funding settlement was 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 is the second yr of the funding settlement. This follows the profitable roll out of the programme throughout all areas of England in 2021.

The funding for every native authority for the HAF programme will likely be confirmed within the grant dedication letter for the programme on an annual foundation.

This funding is for the 153 higher tier native authorities to coordinate and supply free vacation provision, together with wholesome meals and enriching actions. The programme will once more be out there to kids in each native authority in England. The vacation intervals that we count on native authorities to cowl are set out within the core supply part.

Background

Since 2018, the HAF programme has offered help to kids in receipt of free college meals by vacation intervals. Following profitable pilots between 2018 and 2020, the programme was rolled out to all higher tier native authorities in 2021.

Analysis has proven that the college holidays will be strain factors for some households. For some kids that may result in a vacation expertise hole. Youngsters from low-income households are: much less prone to entry organised out-of-school actions extra prone to expertise ‘unhealthy holidays’ by way of diet and bodily well being extra prone to expertise social isolation

The HAF programme is a response to this challenge. Proof reveals that free vacation golf equipment can have a constructive impression on kids and younger folks. They work finest once they:

Since 2021, the HAF programme has enabled us to help lots of of 1000’s of youngsters and their households all through the Easter, summer season, and Christmas college holidays.

Who the programme is for

The HAF programme funding is primarily for varsity aged kids from reception to yr 11 (inclusive) who obtain benefits-related free college meals ( FSM ).

Advantages-related FSMs can be found to pupils if their mother and father are in receipt of one of many qualifying advantages and have a declare verified by their college or native authority.

For additional info on eligibility, go to apply without spending a dime college meals.

Native authorities are requested to make sure that the supply of free vacation membership provision is on the market for all kids in receipt of benefits-related free college meals of their space. Although this doesn’t imply we count on all to attend, as the supply is voluntary.

Common toddler free college meals

All kids in reception, yr 1 and yr 2 in England’s state-funded colleges obtain a free meal underneath the common toddler free college meals ( UIFSM ) coverage.

Toddler pupils who obtain a free meal underneath UIFSM should even be eligible for benefits-related FSM to have the ability to entry a spot on the HAF programme.

Different kids and households

As in earlier years, native authorities have discretion to make use of as much as 15% of their funding to supply free or subsidised vacation membership locations for youngsters who usually are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM however who the native authority imagine may benefit from HAF.

In deciding which kids ought to profit from the 15% versatile funding, native authorities ought to make sure that these locations are aligned to their native priorities.

Native authorities usually are not required to hunt written approval from the Division for Training ( DfE ) for using this 15% flexibility. They’re anticipated to proceed to observe and report on this component of their expenditure and guarantee it stays inside the restrict.

Goals of the programme

There are lots of advantages for youngsters who attend the HAF programme. We wish to encourage all HAF suppliers to make sure a top quality expertise that may end in kids:

Over Easter:

we count on that every one taking part kids ought to profit from a minimum of 1 week of face-to-face provision, which must be for no less than 4 days

Over summer season:

for native authorities which have a summer season vacation that spans 6 full calendar weeks, taking part kids must be provided a minimum of 4 weeks of face-to-face provision, which cowl a minimal of 16 days

for native authorities which have a summer season vacation that’s lower than 6 full calendar weeks, taking part kids must be provided a minimum of 3 weeks of face-to-face provision, which ought to cowl a minimal of 12 days

if solely 3 weeks are provided at summer season, then these native authorities, are anticipated to supply a further week throughout a half-term vacation interval, in order that their general provision reaches 6 weeks throughout the yr

Over Christmas:

we count on that every one taking part kids ought to profit from every week of help which covers a minimal of 4 days

as in 2021, our choice is a minimum of 4 days of face-to-face provision, nonetheless the place this isn’t potential, it ought to include a minimum of 2 days of face-to-face provision complimented by a minimum of 2 days of HAF help which will be offered within the type of top of the range meals hampers and exercise packs

Size of HAF periods

Our expectation is that in each HAF funded vacation week, native authorities ought to supply all eligible kids the equal of a minimum of 4 hours a day, 4 days every week. We all know that some particular person suppliers need the pliability to supply longer or shorter periods, and that is potential inside this description.

Instance To satisfy the wants of secondary-aged kids in the summertime, a supplier may supply 6 weeks of provision consisting of shorter periods, which included meals and actions for two to three hours and for 3 to 4 days per week. This may very well be complemented with alternatives for youngsters to undertake voluntary work, constructing new expertise or journeys and experiences.

In planning their HAF programme, native authorities are anticipated to ensure that eligible kids can entry a degree of provision that meets their wants. They need to keep in mind that the general HAF supply to the kid doesn’t have to be from a single supplier however will be delivered although a variety of suppliers with a mix of provides out there.

Different vacation intervals

Funding for this programme is on the market for the Easter, summer season, and Christmas holidays solely.

The one exception is for these native authorities with a shorter summer season vacation interval (lower than 6 full calendar weeks). These authorities have the pliability to restrict their summer season provision to three weeks and supply a further week (a minimal of 4 days) in one of many longer half-term vacation intervals.

Requirements for vacation provision

This part units out the requirements we count on for HAF funded suppliers. We count on native authorities to make finest use of the number of native and nationwide organisations who can be found to help them and their suppliers within the supply of those points of the HAF programme.

It’s the native authority’s position to make sure requirements are met throughout the programme and to help native suppliers who don’t meet them to make sure they’re adequately supported by coaching, help, and partnerships.

Not all suppliers must ship all points of the programme, however our clear expectation is that the place potential, all taking part kids ought to profit from all points of the programme. This may imply that native authorities undertake a blended strategy to making sure kids can entry completely different points of the programme by completely different suppliers.

Provision for all

We strongly encourage native authorities to make sure the golf equipment and suppliers they fund are open to all kids, not simply to those that obtained a spot funded by the HAF programme.

Meals provision

All suppliers should present a minimum of 1 meal a day (breakfast, lunch or a night meal and all meals offered at HAF golf equipment (together with snacks) should meet college meals requirements.

For some kids, the chance to take pleasure in a sizzling meal at a HAF membership is necessary and our aspiration is that suppliers ought to, the place potential, attempt to supply sizzling meals to kids attending HAF golf equipment. Nevertheless, we acknowledge that this isn’t all the time potential and that options to sizzling meals can typically be extra appropriate.

To make sure that all kids obtain a top quality and stigma free expertise, if a supplier is open to each HAF -funded and non- HAF -funded locations, it’s vital that all the kids attending are supplied with an an identical meals supply and that HAF funded kids are handled equally.

If kids on non- HAF -funded locations are given the choice to deliver a packed lunch, then we count on the native authority and the supplier to work collectively to make sure that kids attending by HAF have the identical selection. This may very well be fulfilled by the supplier and the native authority making preparations to supply packed lunches for HAF kids. All packed lunches should meet the college meals requirements.

Alternatively, for suppliers who present meals on-site, they might think about making the identical wholesome meals out there to all kids, however with a further cost for these non- HAF funded locations.

There’s flexibility within the design of the meals provision which ought to all the time be tailor-made to make sure that all meals meets the dietary wants of the youngsters and households who attend. The meals served also needs to be acceptable for the character of the session, for instance, providing chilly packed lunches for parks or outside venues or for day journeys.

Whereas there will be advantages to utilizing a central meals service to supply meals to HAF golf equipment, we count on native authorities to fastidiously think about whether or not utilizing a central meals service is the precise strategy for offering top quality, enticing and tailor-made meals for these attending the HAF programme.

Offering meals on website can present a possibility to have interaction kids and households in meals preparation and diet. Suppliers have reported that when kids are concerned in designing menus and the preparation of meals, they’re extra engaged and extra keen to attempt new and more healthy meals.

We advocate that native authorities think about the supply of the meals component of the HAF programme, particularly, in ensuring that suppliers and kids are concerned within the planning and preparation of meals. Such a developmental strategy will be key to effecting long-term change in engagement with meals and diet.