The HAF programme provides childcare, enriching activities, and food to children in reception to year 11 in receipt of free school meals over the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays.
Children from low-income households are more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health, as they often cannot access healthy food at home or attend out-of-school holiday activities.
We welcome this commitment from the government and strongly urge continued funding for HAF beyond 2025-26. At School Food Matters, we see first-hand how important holiday clubs are for children and families through running our own Holiday Food and Fun programme with Belazu.
Fun activities with peers help children stay connected and avoid feeling isolated during the holidays. Also, all children deserve access to quality nutrition whether they are in school or not, and it is vital that we have holiday provision in place to help make that a reality.
