Holiday activities and food programme application guidance

This is subject to change dependant on Department for Education (DfE) guidance.

Introduction

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is funded by the DfE. Funding for the programme is allocated to each local authority based on the number of children in receipt of benefit related free school meals (FSM) in each area taken from the spring census. The aim of the HAF programme is to provide healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare places to children from low-income families, benefiting their health, wellbeing and learning.

The HAF programme has been delivered in Stockton for over 3 years and the success of the programme has been largely due to the hard work of our providers. In Stockton we will continue to allocate funding to providers working with primary and secondary aged children and those providing Special Educational Needs (SEN) provisions.

Programme information

Framework of standards

HAF sessions should be available to children 4 days per week in school holidays. The sessions should be 4 hours long as a minimum, however there is flexibility with teenage and SEN provision. Please speak to the HAF Team for further guidance.

The DfE provide full guidance for the HAF programme which can be found on the holiday activities and food programme 2024 page on the GOV.UK website (opens in new tab)

Food provision

All providers must provide at least one meal per day.

This should be a hot nutritious meal that meets school food standards - guidance can be found on the school food standards on the School Food Plan website (opens in new tab)

Food provision should be tailored to ensure that all food meets the dietary needs of the children and families who attend. The food served should also be appropriate for the nature of the session, for example, offering cold packed lunches for parks or outdoor venues or for day trips is acceptable.

Enriching activities

All HAF-funded provision must provide fun and enriching activities that allow children to:

• develop new skills or knowledge
• consolidate existing skills and knowledge
• try out new experiences
• have fun and socialise

Physical activities

Holiday clubs must provide activities that meet the physical activity guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report (opens in new tab) on a daily basis:

• all children and young people participating in the HAF programme should engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for an average of at least 60 minutes per day
• children and young people participating in the HAF programme should engage in a variety of types and intensities of physical activity to develop movement skills, muscular fitness, and bone strength
• children and young people should aim to minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary, and when physically possible should break up long periods of not moving with at least light physical activity

Increasing awareness of healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and positive behaviour

Providers should incorporate helping children to understand more about the benefits of healthy eating and nutrition into their programme.

These do not need to be formal learning activities but could include:

• getting children involved in food preparation and cooking
• growing fruit and vegetables
• taste tests
• discussing food and healthy eating during mealtimes
• including food and nutrition in other activities

Offering positive learning and development through HAF activities creates stigma free opportunities to support children and young people in learning about healthy lifestyles and exercise. This could cover, for example, the risks of using of vapes, cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol.

Signposting and referrals

HAF providers should be able to offer information, signposting or referrals to other services and support, that would benefit the children and their families who attend their provision.

Other services and support could include:

• Citizens Advice Bureau
• school nurses, dentists, or other healthcare practitioners
• family support services or children's services
• housing support officers
• Jobcentre Plus
• organisations providing financial education
• early years and childcare, including help to pay for childcare for example, Tax-Free Childcare (opens in new tab)

There are many ways that providers can meet this element of the programme for example, through knowledgeable staff engaging with families during drop-off and pick-up times or having information available to parents.

Programme eligibility

Core eligibility

As specified by the DfE who fund the programme, any child from reception to year 11 who receives benefits-related FSM is automatically eligible for the programme and can book a place. Nursery aged children are not able to access the programme.

Wider eligibility

Local authorities have discretion to use some of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children and young people who are not in receipt of benefits related free school meals. This wider eligibility differs between localities.  In Stockton-on-Tees the wider eligibility currently includes:

• children from low-income households who are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM, but who do receive Universal Credit
• children in our Care
• children supported by staff within Children's Services
• young Carers

There are limits to how many non-FSM children and young people can access the HAF programme, to ensure that the focus of the programme remains on the key audience, children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals.

This list is not exhaustive, and all non-FSM children must be approved by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council HAF Team via the central registration and booking system.

Application process

The application link is Apply for the Holidays Are Fun (HAF) Programme grant (opens in new tab).  

If you require assistance with your application, contact the SBC HAF Team on 01642 527752 or email haf@stockton.gov.uk. Ensure you submit all required documents at the time of completion or your application may not be considered at panel.

Ensure you read all relevant guidance before submitting your application, as the panel will make their decision based on the information you submit. The panel will only consider applications received by the closing date. Further consideration will be given to location, demand and activity type when approving provisions.

The level of funding provided to each project will vary according to the scale, scope and quality of the proposals, and within the overall amount of funding available. Applications must represent good value for money with proposals being cost effective.

Currently there is a cap on spending at a maximum of £25 per child per day unless you are providing a specialist provision. This is under review however, for Easter it remains at £25 including food.

Payment timetable

If an application is successful, providers will be paid 80% of the agreed funding prior to the specific HAF delivery period. The remaining balance, of up to 20% will be paid following delivery once evidence of expenditure and monitoring requirements are received.

Provider forum

All providers who are approved for funding will be required to attend a pre-Easter provider forum on 5 March 2025.

Booking system

SBC have a public facing online booking system that most providers are required to use. If you are successful in your application, you must provide us with information to populate this booking system. The date this information is required will be communicated to you via the HAF team, it is important you adhere to this date.

Marketing

There will be central promotion of the HAF activities by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, however it is the responsibility of providers to ensure that all HAF places are filled. We encourage providers to advertise these places online, via social media, leaflets and posters, local events and linking in with local schools. The HAF team can also supply providers with a weighted flag to display outside of the delivery venue to help families locate the provision.

Quality assurance visits

The HAF Team and other local authority officers reserve the right to attend any premises granted HAF funding during HAF delivery, without prior notice to quality assure the provision and check that the HAF criteria are being met as per the application)

Conditions of funding

The conditions of funding are:

• funding can only be spent on the enriching activities and nutritious food outlined in the application form
• providers who receive funding will be required to complete all appropriate monitoring forms as determined by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) (these will include attendee records or registers, and records of activities and these forms will be returned to SBC as requested
• providers will be required to participate in the ongoing evaluation of the whole programme
• applications must represent good value for money with proposals being cost effective
• common marketing materials including branding will be provided by SBC and these must be used with all associated activities linked with this programme
• funding will only be awarded for project costs and not the general on-going running costs of your organisation
• providers who receive funding will be expected to support each other and signpost to other projects in their local areas
• funding is not available to finance political or religious activities

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses are:

• venue hire costs
• staffing for the HAF activities
• support for children with additional needs in line with their education statement
• food and refreshments
• activity materials
• day trips, including transport costs
• entry fees and ticket costs
• promotional materials - please note these must include appropriate HAF branding and there is a limit of £50 per organisation
• reasonable and directly attributable equipment costs

Capital expenditure

Capital expenditure will normally be limited to approx 2% of the total value of the application and will only be considered in special circumstances. Expenditure that is on an individual asset worth over £2,500 will be capital expenditure. Expenditure on a group of assets, that is, assets of a similar nature that are purchased at the same time, which together cost £2,500 or more will be capital expenditure.

The Deadline for Easter applications is Monday 24 February at 12:00PM. Email haf@stockton.gov.uk with any questions.