Writings by me

And with that the summer holiday childcare mission is almost upon us. It’s a delicate balance of annual leave, grandparents, cashing in on favours with friends, swapping kids with school mums and general juggling madness. And that’s for the lucky ones with family nearby who are able and willing to help. If it’s hard for those described above, I can’t begin to imagine how it must be for those without that support. So I’ve done a little bit of digging and I’ve found this, which I was not aware of: The Holiday and Food Programme 2022 (or HAF). Because government guidelines are dry and boring, I’ve summarised the information below:

• Every council in England has funding to provide a Holiday and Food Programme for children in years Reception to Year 11 who are receiving benefits-related free school meals. This does not include children in Key Stage 1 who receive school meals for free and who are not also eligible for benefits-related reasons.
• The offer includes at least four weeks of face-to-face provision. This might vary council to council, so the first port of call is your Council’s website (find it here).
• While those children who are receiving free school meals are the priority, local authorities may be able to offer places to those who are able to pay to attend. Children in certain circumstances, but not receiving free school meals, may also be eligible. For a full list click here.
• The programme includes sport and physical activities, arts and crafts, music and drama, learning new skills, a free meal and opportunities for your child to socialise and meet new people. Depending on your location, your local council may have partnered with local businesses to offer other activities and provide trips as part of the programme. 
• To find information about your local council’s offer, search the #HAF2022 on your local council’s Twitter page.

Whatever you’re going to do this summer, remember to have a good one.