Overview
This doc supplies data for native authorities delivering the vacation actions and meals programme for 2023 to 24. You need 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 might 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 accessible to youngsters in each native authority in England. The vacation intervals that we count on native authorities to cowl are set out within the core provide part.
Background
Since 2018, the HAF programme has supplied help to youngsters in receipt of free faculty 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 varsity holidays may be strain factors for some households. For some youngsters that may result in a vacation expertise hole. Kids from low-income households are:
much less more likely to entry organised out-of-school actions
extra more likely to expertise ‘unhealthy holidays’ by way of diet and bodily well being
extra more likely to expertise social isolation
The HAF programme is a response to this subject. Proof reveals that free vacation golf equipment can have a optimistic influence on youngsters and younger individuals. They work greatest after they:
present constant and simply accessible enrichment actions
cowl extra than simply breakfast or lunch
contain youngsters and oldsters in meals preparation
use native partnerships and connections, significantly with the VCSO sector
Since 2021, the HAF programme has enabled us to help tons of of 1000’s of youngsters and their households all through the Easter, summer time, and Christmas faculty holidays.
Who the programme is for
The HAF programme funding is primarily for college aged youngsters from reception to yr 11 (inclusive) who obtain benefits-related free faculty meals ( FSM ).
Advantages-related FSMs can be found to pupils if their dad and mom are in receipt of one of many qualifying advantages and have a declare verified by their faculty or native authority.
For additional data on eligibility, go to apply at no cost faculty meals.
Native authorities are requested to make sure that the provide of free vacation membership provision is on the market for all youngsters in receipt of benefits-related free faculty meals of their space. Although this doesn’t imply we count on all to attend, as the availability is voluntary.
Common toddler free faculty meals
All youngsters in reception, yr 1 and yr 2 in England’s state-funded colleges obtain a free meal underneath the common toddler free faculty 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 youngsters 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 aren’t in receipt of benefits-related FSM however who the native authority imagine may benefit from HAF.
In deciding which youngsters ought to profit from the 15% versatile funding, native authorities ought to be sure that these locations are aligned to their native priorities.
Native authorities aren’t required to hunt written approval from the Division for Training ( DfE ) for using this 15% flexibility. They’re anticipated to proceed to watch and report on this ingredient of their expenditure and guarantee it stays throughout the restrict.
Goals of the programme
There are various advantages for youngsters who attend the HAF programme. We wish to encourage all HAF suppliers to make sure a top quality expertise that may lead to youngsters:
receiving wholesome and nutritious meals
sustaining a wholesome degree of bodily exercise
being joyful, having enjoyable and assembly new associates
growing a higher understanding of meals, diet and different health-related points
collaborating in enjoyable and interesting actions that help their improvement
feeling secure and safe
having access to the correct help companies
returning to high school feeling engaged and able to be taught
Households also can profit, when HAF suppliers embrace their wants in planning and delivering their programme. This might be by:
offering alternatives to become involved in cookery lessons
making certain they’re signposted in the direction of different sources of data and help, corresponding to well being companies or employment and training alternatives
The core provide
Total, native authorities are anticipated to supply the equal of 6 weeks’ vacation provision to eligible youngsters.
Over Easter:
we count on that every one taking part youngsters ought to profit from at the very least 1 week of face-to-face provision, which ought to be for at least 4 days
Over summer time:
for native authorities which have a summer time vacation that spans 6 full calendar weeks, taking part youngsters ought to be supplied at the very least 4 weeks of face-to-face provision, which cowl a minimal of 16 days
for native authorities which have a summer time vacation that’s lower than 6 full calendar weeks, taking part youngsters ought to be supplied at the very least 3 weeks of face-to-face provision, which ought to cowl a minimal of 12 days
if solely 3 weeks are supplied at summer time, then these native authorities, are anticipated to supply an extra 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 youngsters ought to profit from every week of help which covers a minimal of 4 days
as in 2021, our choice is at the very least 4 days of face-to-face provision, nevertheless the place this isn’t potential, it ought to encompass at the very least 2 days of face-to-face provision complimented by at the very least 2 days of HAF help which may be supplied within the type of top quality meals hampers and exercise packs
Size of HAF periods
Our expectation is that in each HAF funded vacation week, native authorities ought to provide all eligible youngsters the equal of at the very least 4 hours a day, 4 days every week. We all know that some particular person suppliers need the flexibleness to supply longer or shorter periods, and that is potential inside this description.
Instance To satisfy the wants of secondary-aged youngsters in the summertime, a supplier may provide 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 might 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 be sure that eligible youngsters can entry a degree of provision that meets their wants. They need to keep in mind that the general HAF provide to the kid doesn’t must be from a single supplier however may be delivered although a spread of suppliers with a mix of presents accessible.
Different vacation intervals
Funding for this programme is on the market for the Easter, summer time, and Christmas holidays solely.
The one exception is for these native authorities with a shorter summer time vacation interval (lower than 6 full calendar weeks). These authorities have the flexibleness to restrict their summer time provision to three weeks and supply an extra week (a minimal of 4 days) in one of many longer half-term vacation intervals.
Requirements for vacation provision
Now we have developed a framework of requirements to supply a benchmark of what we count on from these delivering the vacation, actions, and meals programme.
One of many key roles of the native authority might be to:
enhance the standard of provision throughout the native space
be sure that suppliers are supported to satisfy the high-level framework of requirements
Framework of requirements
This part units out the requirements we count on for HAF funded suppliers. We count on native authorities to make greatest use of the number of native and nationwide organisations who can be found to help them and their suppliers within the supply of those elements of the HAF programme.
It’s the native authority’s function 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 should ship all elements of the programme, however our clear expectation is that the place potential, all taking part youngsters ought to profit from all elements of the programme. This may imply that native authorities undertake a blended method to making sure youngsters can entry totally different elements of the programme by totally different suppliers.
Provision for all
We strongly encourage native authorities to make sure the golf equipment and suppliers they fund are open to all youngsters, not simply to those that obtained a spot funded by the HAF programme.
Meals provision
All suppliers should present at the very least 1 meal a day (breakfast, lunch or a night meal and all meals supplied at HAF golf equipment (together with snacks) should meet faculty meals requirements.
For some youngsters, the chance to take pleasure in a scorching meal at a HAF membership is essential and our aspiration is that suppliers ought to, the place potential, attempt to provide scorching meals to youngsters attending HAF golf equipment. Nonetheless, we acknowledge that this isn’t all the time potential and that options to scorching meals can generally be extra appropriate.
To make sure that all youngsters obtain a top quality and stigma free expertise, if a supplier is open to each HAF -funded and non- HAF -funded locations, it’s critical that all the youngsters attending are supplied with an similar meals provide and that HAF funded youngsters are handled equally.
If youngsters on non- HAF -funded locations are given the choice to carry a packed lunch, then we count on the native authority and the supplier to work collectively to make sure that youngsters attending by HAF have the identical alternative. This might be fulfilled by the supplier and the native authority making preparations to supply packed lunches for HAF youngsters. All packed lunches should meet the varsity meals requirements.
Alternatively, for suppliers who present meals on-site, they may contemplate making the identical wholesome meals accessible to all youngsters, however with an extra cost for these non- HAF funded locations.
All meals supplied as a part of the HAF programme should:
adjust to rules on meals preparation
take note of allergic reactions and dietary necessities (see the allergy steerage for colleges)
take note of any non secular or cultural necessities for meals
There may be 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 kids and households who attend. The meals served must also be applicable for the character of the session, for instance, providing chilly packed lunches for parks or out of doors venues or for day journeys.
Whereas there may be advantages to utilizing a central meals service to supply meals to HAF golf equipment, we count on native authorities to fastidiously contemplate whether or not utilizing a central meals service is the correct method for offering prime quality, enticing and tailor-made meals for these attending the HAF programme.
Offering meals on web site can present a possibility to have interaction youngsters and households in meals preparation and diet. Suppliers have reported that when youngsters 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 contemplate the availability of the meals ingredient of the HAF programme, specifically, in ensuring that suppliers and kids are concerned within the planning and preparation of meals. Such a developmental method may be key to effecting long-term change in engagement with meals and diet.
There are additionally environmental components to contemplate when planning the meals provision. Native authorities ought to contemplate whether or not golf equipment getting ready meals on their very own premises would produce much less meals and packaging waste and lead to fewer food-miles than off-site, centralised provision.
Meals suppliers
Native authorities ought to be sure that the suppliers they work with are, the place relevant, registered as a meals enterprise. This supplies reassurance to all of these concerned that meals security requirements are being met.
A meals enterprise is outlined as anybody getting ready, cooking, storing, dealing with, distributing, supplying or promoting meals. Additional data is on the market on meals enterprise registration.
Native authorities are answerable for imposing meals hygiene legal guidelines and might examine any registered meals enterprise at any level within the meals manufacturing and distribution course of. We advocate that HAF coordinators inside every native authority are in common contact with their meals security inspectors to make sure that HAF suppliers are totally compliant.
Meals data rules – Natasha’s Legislation
From 1 October 2021, adjustments to the Meals Info Rules 2014 got here into impact, including new labelling necessities for meals that’s pre-packed for direct sale ( PPDS ).
Native authorities ought to learn the steerage on the Meals Requirements Company web site and be sure that all meals provision for the HAF programme meets these necessities.
Enrichment actions
All HAF -funded provision should present enjoyable and enriching actions that enable youngsters to:
develop new expertise or information
consolidate present expertise and information
check out new experiences
have enjoyable and socialise
This might embrace however just isn’t restricted to:
bodily actions, for instance, soccer, swimming, desk tennis or cricket
artistic actions, for instance, placing on a play, junk modelling or drumming workshops
experiences, for instance, a nature stroll or visiting a metropolis farm
free play, for instance, enjoyable and freedom to calm down and luxuriate in themselves
We count on all HAF suppliers to supply a balanced programme. For suppliers whose main focus is about round a particular exercise or sport, we count on them to make sure that youngsters attending their provision profit from a holistic and diversified expertise.
Bodily actions
Vacation golf equipment should present actions that meet the bodily exercise tips every day.
Consistent with these tips, we count on:
all youngsters and younger individuals taking part within the HAF programme ought to have interaction in moderate-to-vigorous bodily exercise for a median of at the very least 60 minutes per day
programme ought to have interaction in moderate-to-vigorous bodily exercise for a median of at the very least 60 minutes per day youngsters and younger individuals taking part within the HAF programme ought to have interaction in quite a lot of sorts and intensities of bodily exercise to develop motion expertise, muscular health, and bone power
programme ought to have interaction in quite a lot of sorts and intensities of bodily exercise to develop motion expertise, muscular health, and bone power youngsters and younger individuals ought to purpose to minimise the period of time spent being sedentary, and when bodily potential ought to break up lengthy intervals of not transferring with at the very least gentle bodily exercise
Assembly the bodily exercise requirement doesn’t should be within the type of a structured exercise session, however may embrace lively journey, free play and sports activities.
Rising consciousness of wholesome consuming, wholesome life, and optimistic behaviours
We count on suppliers to include serving to youngsters to grasp extra about the advantages of wholesome consuming and diet into their programme. These don’t must be formal studying actions. This might embrace:
getting youngsters concerned in meals preparation and cooking
rising fruit and greens
style exams
discussing meals and wholesome consuming throughout mealtimes
together with meals and diet in different actions
Providing optimistic studying and improvement by HAF actions creates stigma-free alternatives to help youngsters and younger individuals in studying about wholesome life and train. This might cowl, for instance, using vapes, cigarettes, medicine, and the way this could result in points together with:
financial
social
private security
exploitation
criminality
Signposting and referrals and supporting households
HAF suppliers ought to be capable to provide data, signposting or referrals to different companies and help, that might profit the kids who attend their provision and their households. Different companies and help may embrace:
Residents Recommendation
faculty nurses, dentists, or different healthcare practitioners
household help companies or youngsters’s companies
housing help officers
Jobcentre Plus
organisations offering monetary training
early years and childcare, together with assist to pay for childcare (for instance, Tax-Free Childcare )
There are various ways in which suppliers can meet this ingredient of the programme, for instance, by skilled and educated workers partaking with households throughout drop-off and pick-up occasions.
We all know that many HAF suppliers have labored to supply weekly coaching and recommendation periods for folks, carers or different members of the family. We encourage suppliers who wish to accomplish that to proceed to supply these periods.
These periods may present recommendation on easy methods to supply, put together and cook dinner nutritious and low-cost meals. This might be mixed with the rising consciousness and understanding of wholesome consuming side of the programme, for instance, by inviting youngsters and their households to organize and eat a meal collectively at a HAF session.
There are alternative routes of delivering this, for instance, by offering taking part youngsters with components and recipes to remove and check out at residence with their households.
Instance In Lambeth and Southwark, they labored with the Kitchen Social programme to include the ‘take and make’ into their Summer time of Meals and Enjoyable HAF programme. Collaborating youngsters obtained a field of components and recipe playing cards to take residence in order that households may cook dinner and eat wholesome meals collectively at residence. The packing containers, which have been designed with nutritionists: met faculty meals requirements
have been low price
took underneath half-hour to make
have been ‘low cook dinner’, which aimed to ease monetary constraints and construct households confidence in cooking The packing containers additionally included wholesome consuming and bodily exercise challenges and knowledge to help youngsters studying and being lively at residence.
Insurance policies and procedures
There are all kinds of organisations and people concerned within the supply of the vacation, actions and meals programme together with:
colleges
schools
nurseries
non-public suppliers
charities
youth golf equipment
neighborhood teams
All organisations delivering the HAF programme should be capable to reveal that they’ve in place related and applicable insurance policies and procedures for:
safeguarding, together with the recruitment of workers and volunteers
well being and security
related insurance coverage insurance policies
accessibility and inclusiveness
Making certain suppliers meet the programme requirements
Native authorities ought to have in place a system to watch the HAF suppliers they fund in order that they are often assured that they meet the anticipated requirements for the programme and are offering a top quality and enjoyable expertise for youngsters. Having an assurance course of in place will present reassurance to all concerned.
Native authorities can even want to make sure that strong due diligence checks are carried out on every supplier they fund by the HAF programme.
It’s anticipated that native authorities will perform visits to the suppliers they fund as a way to be happy that the availability is appropriate, and that the supplier has every little thing in place to ship a high-quality programme. We recognise that every native authority will develop a person method and a proportionate system to watch their HAF suppliers.
It will not be obligatory or proportionate to go to each supplier throughout each vacation interval and there are various ways in which native authorities can preserve in common contact with suppliers. At least, it’s anticipated that an assurance go to would usually be made to new suppliers or to suppliers that haven’t been visited for greater than 12 months.
We count on all suppliers who’re funded by the programme to satisfy our framework of requirements. We count on that assurance visits deal with making certain that suppliers can meet the HAF programme requirements.
Meals provision
Examine:
what plans the supplier has in place to supply prime quality and nutritious meals
how will they be sure that the meals served will meet the varsity meals requirements
if they’ve talked to youngsters and households concerning the meals they are going to serve
if they’ve a strong system in place to make sure the meals they serve takes under consideration dietary, non secular or cultural necessities
if they’ve a strong system in place to handle allergic reactions
if they’re open to each HAF -funded and non- HAF -funded youngsters, and the way they be sure that all youngsters get the identical expertise
Consciousness and understanding of wholesome consuming
Examine:
if the supplier will run particular periods on wholesome consuming
what actions or periods the supplier has deliberate that help youngsters in making good selections about meals
how they plan to include the theme of wholesome consuming and wholesome life into their HAF provision
Signposting and referrals
Examine:
how the supplier engages with the households of the kids who attend their provision
what the supplier has in place to information and advise youngsters and their households to make sure they’re conscious of and, the place applicable, referred to different companies and companies
Enriching actions
Examine:
what enrichment actions might be on provide
why the supplier has chosen them
if the actions on provide are age applicable
Accessibility and inclusiveness
Examine:
if the supplier has a bespoke provide for youngsters with particular academic wants and disabilities ( SEND ) that’s clearly highlighted
) that’s clearly highlighted how the supplier will be sure that the wants of youngsters with SEND are recognized
are recognized how the supplier will be sure that all workers are appropriately skilled to ship prime quality, accessible and inclusive provision
Safeguarding
Examine:
if all workers have obtained safeguarding coaching
if all workers been checked and vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service ( DBS ), the place applicable
), the place applicable what insurance policies the supplier has in place to make sure safeguarding incidents are handled robustly and quickly
Well being and security insurance policies and procedures
Examine what well being and security procedures and insurance policies the supplier has in place.
Insurance coverage insurance policies and procedures
Examine if the supplier has updated and applicable insurance coverage insurance policies in place.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding and selling the welfare of youngsters is everybody’s accountability. We wish each HAF membership to be a secure and joyful place for youngsters, and for folks, carers and households to really feel assured that their youngster is properly sorted and that strong safeguarding preparations are in place.
Native authorities are statutorily answerable for safeguarding in relation to youngsters in want, underneath statute 17 of the Kids Act 1989, and sorted youngsters underneath statute 20 of the Kids Act 1989.
We encourage all native authorities to work intently with their native safeguarding youngsters partnership to:
make them conscious of the HAF programme and what it may possibly provide
programme and what it may possibly provide be sure that they will help the programme to place safeguarding preparations in place
As set out in working collectively to safeguard youngsters, safeguarding is outlined for the needs of this steerage as:
defending youngsters from maltreatment
stopping impairment of youngsters’s psychological and bodily well being or improvement
making certain that youngsters develop up in circumstances in line with the availability of secure and efficient care
taking motion when you establish youngsters to be prone to hurt
Native authorities ought to be sure that their native safeguarding companions perceive the vacation, actions and meals programme and people engaged on the supply of the programme are aware of the working collectively to safeguard youngsters steerage.
There are a variety of accredited organisations who can present safeguarding and youngster safety coaching programs for these concerned in working with youngsters. We count on native authorities to have the ability to reveal that these concerned within the supply of the vacation, actions and meals programme of their space are competent and have obtained satisfactory coaching and help.
We count on each native authority to provide and keep a central register of all of the suppliers they fund by their HAF programme and to place in place a system for inspecting every supplier and making certain all adhere to the requirements set out on this steerage.
Vacation golf equipment in class settings
We all know that colleges are secure locations and have safeguarding preparations in place.
The place actions are supplied by the governing physique or proprietor of a faculty, underneath the direct supervision or administration of their faculty workers the varsity’s youngster safety coverage will apply.
The place the actions are supplied individually within the faculty however by one other physique, the governing physique or proprietor ought to search assurance that the physique involved has applicable safeguarding and youngster safety insurance policies and process in place.
We advocate that anybody concerned within the supply of a vacation membership in class settings is aware of half 1 of maintaining youngsters secure in training.
Vacation golf equipment in out of college settings
By out-of-school settings we imply organisations or people that present tuition, coaching, instruction or actions to youngsters in England with out their dad and mom’ or carers’ supervision, however aren’t:
colleges
schools
training settings offering different provision
16 to 19 academies
suppliers caring for youngsters which might be registered with Ofsted or a childminder company
These settings typically present tuition, coaching, instruction or actions exterior regular faculty hours (for instance, evenings, weekends, faculty holidays), though some settings are run part-time throughout faculty hours to assist meet the wants of these in residence training.
The steerage for suppliers working out-of-school settings on maintaining youngsters secure throughout neighborhood actions, after-school golf equipment and tuition covers recommendation on what insurance policies and procedures suppliers ought to have in place for well being and security, safeguarding and youngster safety, workers suitability, and governance.
Volunteers and DBS checking
We all know that in some settings, volunteers can play an essential function within the supply of vacation golf equipment.
In no way ought to a volunteer in respect of whom no checks have been obtained be left unsupervised or allowed to work in regulated exercise.
For among the voluntary workers concerned within the supply of the vacation, actions and meals programme in vacation golf equipment, this work might be completed often and thought of to be regulated exercise. This implies they are going to be topic to an enhanced DBS verify with barred listing data.
There could also be a really small variety of volunteers who don’t often perform this function, and so it will not be thought-about as regulated exercise. This implies they will not be required to have an enhanced DBS verify.
The steerage on regulated exercise in relation to youngsters incorporates definitions of what we imply by common and controlled exercise.
Instance A visitor speaker or presenter visits a vacation, actions and meals programme membership to ship a chat on nature. The visitor is escorted by workers on the membership (who’re DBS checked) whereas on the premises and isn’t left unsupervised with youngsters at any time. In these circumstances, we’d not count on a DBS verify to be carried out.
To offer reassurance to folks, households and carers, we strongly advocate that every one volunteers who’re concerned within the supply of the vacation, actions and meals programme in vacation golf equipment ought to have an enhanced DBS verify (which, the place relevant, ought to embrace youngsters’s barred listing data).
We don’t advocate vacation golf equipment utilizing volunteers that aren’t DBS checked, but when this happens, it’s the accountability of the native authority to make sure that volunteers aren’t at any level left alone and unsupervised with youngsters in vacation golf equipment.
Different staff
All workers who’re employed by vacation membership suppliers funded by the vacation, actions and meals programme ought to be topic to an enhanced DBS verify with barred listing data.
Half 3 of maintaining youngsters secure in training units out a transparent course of for secure recruitment. We advocate native authorities and vacation cubs suppliers observe this greatest apply when recruiting volunteers.
Ofsted registration
Vacation golf equipment might must legally register with Ofsted relying on the availability they provide, they could even be eligible to register with Ofsted on the voluntary register or they could be exempt from registration solely. Each golf equipment and suppliers that might require registration with Ofsted, and people which might be exempt, can take part within the HAF programme.
To help the elevating of high quality and to higher meet the safeguarding wants of youngsters and younger individuals, sure suppliers can select to register with Ofsted even when they don’t have to.
One of many direct advantages to youngsters and households of suppliers being Ofsted registered is that households could also be eligible for tax free childcare or the childcare prices ingredient of Common Credit score. By means of this households might be able to declare again as much as 85% of their childcare prices if they’re attending and paying for further childcare at Ofsted registered settings.
It’s the accountability of particular person HAF suppliers to grasp whether or not they’re required by regulation to be Ofsted registered and to proceed to evaluation their standing as and when the availability they’re providing adjustments.
We count on native authorities to verify with all their HAF suppliers that they’re appropriately registered, significantly these suppliers who might have amended their childcare provide in the course of the holidays due to the HAF programme.
Tailoring your provision
Native authorities and their suppliers may have flexibility about how they ship provision to greatest serve the wants of youngsters and households of their space. We encourage all native authorities to have a wealthy mixture of provision catering for youngsters with totally different pursuits and of various ages.
There must also be good geographical unfold throughout the native authority however with elevated provide in areas with larger ranges of FSM households as a way to maximise attendance ranges.
Working with youngsters with SEND or extra wants
There may be flexibility in how the programme may be delivered to youngsters with SEND or extra wants who’re in receipt of FSM . A number of the key factors for native authorities to contemplate when designing and implementing provision for youngsters with SEND or extra wants embrace:
figuring out probably the most weak youngsters, younger individuals and households
making selections and, the place applicable, delegating accountability for determination making to totally different ranges of the system to allow responsive help
chatting with households often to grasp how their wants might have modified and will have continued to alter
being versatile in supporting households
making certain workers are skilled, supported and supplied with applicable tools as a way to present versatile and responsive care consistent with authorities steerage
sustaining a optimistic degree of belief in workers from a dad or mum perspective
making certain workers obtain the correct degree of coaching from a supplier perspective
Danger assessments are an essential a part of this provision and ought to be used as an enabler to supply help moderately than a barrier.
threat evaluation which helps efficient threat administration and inventive considering will result in totally different approaches to face-to-face help moderately than help being withdrawn significantly for youngsters, younger individuals and households who’re significantly weak or at excessive threat.
There are various native and nationwide organisations together with particular colleges with experience in working with youngsters with SEND or extra wants and we advocate that native authorities have interaction with them.
Working with the secondary faculty age vary
We all know from earlier years that offering a HAF programme that’s interesting and has excessive engagement ranges with the secondary faculty age vary may be difficult. Provision for this age vary will typically look totally different to that aimed on the main age vary and native authorities ought to make particular plans for this.
There ought to be flexibility within the programme you provide to older youngsters with cautious consideration being given to a distinct mannequin of meals and exercise provision.
This might embrace contemplating the placement of provision, corresponding to, pop up parks or city areas. Some areas have reported a discount in anti-social behaviour round these areas with a focussed HAF provision. Others have reported will increase to the degrees of assurance amongst dad and mom and households that their youngsters and younger individuals are secure and safe when attending a HAF programme.
You may also contemplate the function that older youngsters can have in supporting, designing and main periods for his or her friends or for youthful youngsters – to assist them to socialize and develop management expertise which may be essential for these in yr 9 to 11.
Primarily based on earlier years of the HAF programme, we all know that there are a number of components that native authorities ought to take into consideration when designing a programme for the secondary age vary, corresponding to:
working focus teams with older youngsters in your space to higher perceive their wants
the prices of working focussed provision – the prices of provision for this age vary may be larger than for the first age vary
the meals and exercise provide
a distinct working mannequin, for instance, providing afternoon or night periods – some areas have reported success working twilight periods with a night meal being the main focus and others have operated a ‘avenue meals’ fashion provide
the selection of venue is usually essential in constructing a horny provide for this age vary – some areas have reported that faculty venues may be much less standard however pop-up provision in parks and metropolis centres may be extremely efficient
journey prices – native authorities ought to try to guarantee provision is native and accessible and will want to work with native transport suppliers to supply free or discounted journey to supply higher freedom and mobility in the course of the holidays
There are various native and nationwide organisations with experience in supply to the secondary age vary and we advocate that native authorities have interaction with them. Working by trusted and established organisations is a technique of reaching efficient attain and supply
Setting and sustainability
DfE is dedicated to sustainable improvement practices and believes it is crucial for native authorities to contemplate these and their influence on the setting. We strongly encourage native authorities to make their very own judgements on how sustainable improvement may be mirrored of their ethos, day-to-day operations and all through the supply of their HAF programmes.
Some practices that native authorities might want to contemplate are:
minimising using single-use plastics
the place potential utilizing regionally sourced meals and components
making use of meals surplus organisations
making certain there’s a variety of recycling and compost services for waste
rising fruit and greens and exhibiting how they can be utilized and cooked.
encouraging uniform banks and change schemes
This listing just isn’t exhaustive and native authorities are inspired to mirror on their settings and contemplate ways in which their programmes may be extra environmentally pleasant and sustainable.
Instance As a part of the HAF programme in Leeds in 2021, Zero Waste Leeds ran a faculty uniform change scheme. The purpose of this was to make it straightforward to share good high quality, used faculty uniform and stopping it from going to landfill. With clothes manufacturing having a sizeable carbon influence, Zero Waste Leeds discovered that they may scale back their environmental footprint by sharing uniform in order that it’s worn for longer and demand is lowered for brand new uniforms. Schemes corresponding to this could additionally help these households who may need assistance with the price of new uniforms.
Native coordination by authorities
Some native authorities might coordinate the HAF programme themselves, and others might select to work with one other organisation to coordinate the availability on their behalf.
It’s a requirement that each native authority will appoint or have in place a HAF coordinator who takes accountability throughout the native authority for the supply of the programme. This might be alongside having ample workers who’re devoted to engaged on HAF all yr spherical.
The extent of useful resource in every native authority might be decided regionally however ought to be proportionate to the extent of funding obtained.
Native authorities have accountability for the coordination and implementation of the HAF programme of their space, which includes a number of essential elements.
Mapping provision, demand, and creating a neighborhood plan
We count on every native authority to have carried out mapping of the accessible vacation provision in your space to make sure that ample ranges of vacation provision exist. This mapping ought to be thought-about alongside information exhibiting the placement of FSM eligible youngsters.
The native authority can then be sure that their provision is focused on the proper areas and continues to help these of best want. Native authorities ought to be sure that when mapping provision, they distinguish between the totally different age ranges and varieties of provision which might be accessible and guarantee all wants are met throughout their space.
This mapping will can help you develop a neighborhood plan for provision together with any commissioning exercise, based mostly on what you realize about native provide and demand.
Steering group
All native authorities may have established a steering group whose function it’s to help the supply of the programme and be sure that the correct companions proceed to be engaged with and supportive of your programme.
We all know that the HAF programme works greatest when it’s a cross-cutting and collaborative effort and we advocate that your steering group ought to embrace representatives from a variety of native our bodies, together with:
native public well being officers
faculty leaders
youth companies and younger individuals
social companies and safeguarding leads
charities and the voluntary sector
native police and different uniform companies
Complementing your programme with different help
Partnership working has far-reaching advantages for HAF suppliers, making certain assets go additional and greatest apply is shared. Constructing and sustaining efficient partnerships with a spread of native organisations can help areas in profitable supply.
In lots of areas, native authorities have been profitable in drawing in wider help to boost their native programme. For instance, this might be by direct commissioning, or by bringing in funding or help in sort from different sources corresponding to:
philanthropists
sponsors
supermarkets
sports activities organisations
native companies
We might encourage you to actively contemplate any partnership preparations and alternatives and to share case research of any robust examples of partnership working you may have developed to ensure that us to additional help native authorities on this space.
Putting in provision for youngsters with SEND or extra wants
It’s critical that each native authority ensures that ample, high-quality provision is on the market throughout your space for youngsters with SEND or extra wants who’re in receipt of FSM .
This might be by ensuring that your suppliers plan how they are going to accommodate youngsters with SEND or extra wants or ensuring that these with extra complicated wants are in a position to entry appropriate provision, for instance, by working with particular colleges in your space.
Awarding funding to suppliers
We recognise and tremendously worth the essential function that neighborhood and voluntary organisations will play within the HAF programme. We encourage all native authorities to work with a variety of companions within the supply of this programme.
Efficient mapping, alongside constructing an understanding of the kinds of enriching actions that youngsters of various ages wish to have interaction in will help an efficient commissioning technique.
Making certain suppliers meet the HAF programme requirements and driving up the standard
A key ingredient of the native authority’s function is supporting all suppliers to satisfy our programme requirements, that are set out in full within the framework of requirements.
Native authorities must also have a system in place to watch the availability they’re funding and making certain that they help suppliers to adjust to or enhance the standard of their provision, for instance, by arranging bespoke coaching or {qualifications}.
Selling your programme
Our HAF communications toolkit might be up to date and made accessible to native authorities to assist them to:
focus and goal provision in the direction of households who’re eligible at no cost faculty meals
immediate dad and mom and carers to discover actions and provisions accessible for youngsters of their space, and e book a spot for his or her youngster
present off-the-shelf communication supplies (together with for social media) that may be simply utilised to successfully promote the scheme, which credit score and observe DfE ’s central funding of the programme
Native authorities ought to be sure that when selling and promoting their programme, nice care is taken to make sure that the kids and households who may benefit from the HAF programme don’t really feel stigmatised and that the language used is celebratory, aspirational and focuses on the positives.
Native authorities should make it clear of their communications that the HAF programme is funded by DfE and a emblem is on the market and ought to be used for this objective.
We are going to once more use #HAF2023. We encourage all native authorities and their suppliers to make use of this throughout their social media channels.
Sharing greatest apply and cross boundary working
We encourage all native authorities to construct native partnerships and networks to share studying and to take part in occasions and on platforms that share greatest apply on a neighborhood or nationwide degree.
We additionally encourage native authorities to work intently with neighbouring native authorities and to determine clear cross border working protocols. It will assist to make sure that satisfactory provision and help is obtainable to youngsters that stay near boundaries.
Assist for native authorities
DfE ’s native authority help group labored with native authorities to ship the HAF programme in the course of the Easter holidays in 2021.
In April 2021, DfE began working with the organisations Mott MacDonald and Hempsall’s, collectively often known as Childcare Works, to supply help, advisory and efficiency monitoring companies to help native authorities with HAF provision.
Every native authority has been allotted a named Childcare Works HAF adviser who they will contact with queries and requests for help. As a part of the bundle of help, group conferences, common communications and coaching periods will proceed to be promoted and facilitated.
Childcare Works even have a helpdesk which is run by the coordination group and is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to five pm for queries. Native authorities have been given the helpdesk contact particulars straight. The DfE group continues to be in place, working with Childcare Works, and can proceed to ship out common communications and oversee the grant preparations.
Alongside the tasks set out within the coordination part of this steerage, we count on every HAF coordinator to have interaction with the help provide supplied by DfE . At least, we count on HAF coordinators to:
attend the vast majority of cluster conferences to help information sharing throughout native authorities
attend periods with their appointed supply adviser as requested
collaborate with their appointed supply adviser on growing and implementing motion plans the place required
cooperate with DfE ’s administration data assortment necessities and any requests for involvement in analysis.
All different help, corresponding to bitesize periods, is optionally available however strongly inspired to drive steady enchancment of this programme nationally and regionally.
Funding
Native authorities will obtain grant funding to ship the vacation, actions and meals programme of their space.
Our grant funding is calculated based mostly on the numbers of youngsters eligible for and in receipt of free faculty meals in every space.
We anticipate that the price of provision inside a neighborhood authority space might fluctuate to take account of the number of wants, for instance provision which specialises in specialist actions, knowledgeable tuition or enter supporting these with SEND might have the next unit price.
Administrative prices
2023 to 2024 would be the third yr that native authorities have been working the HAF programme of their space. The preliminary prices related to establishing and establishing the programme ought to now be minimal, however there are nonetheless administrative prices related working the vacation actions and meals programme. Native authorities will proceed to have the ability to use as much as 10% of their whole allocation to cowl such prices.
Buying tools
Programme funding will also be used to buy tools for the programme, for instance, to enhance the catering or sports activities tools at a person membership. The place this expenditure meets our capital expenditure standards, the quantity you spend on this ought to be restricted to a most of two% of your general programme expenditure.
Capital expenditure is classed as:
particular person belongings value over £2,500
grouped belongings, that’s belongings of an analogous nature which might be bought on the identical time, which price £2,500 or extra general
bulked belongings, for instance, a bulk buy of apparatus the place the worth of the person merchandise is under the set worth, which price £2,500 or extra general
Any tools that doesn’t meet these standards, is not going to be classed as capital expenditure or be topic to the two% cap.
Awarding funding to suppliers and different supply organisations
In awarding funding to different organisations, whether or not by the awarding of grants or by a bigger scale tendering course of, we encourage native authorities to undertake a versatile method. It will assist guarantee their programme makes the a lot of the broad vary of organisations accessible to them, specifically, these smaller neighborhood organisations who maintain present relationships with youngsters and households.
The place native authorities work with neighborhood and voluntary organisations whether or not as a coordinator or as a supply associate, we count on this to be completed on a cost-recovery foundation. That is in order that these organisations are totally funded for the work they undertake.
There is no such thing as a requirement for native authorities to restrict funding to single vacation intervals. We all know that many native authorities have efficiently adopted a mannequin of recruiting and funding suppliers for a number of vacation intervals.
Funds and reporting
Native authorities might be answerable for gathering administration data from the suppliers and golf equipment they fund concerning the youngsters and households they’re supporting. Following every vacation interval (Easter, summer time, and Christmas) we are going to ask native authorities to report on their exercise.
The necessities for native authorities are set out within the grant dedication letter which we are going to use to watch efficiency at a excessive degree.
Native authorities can set different performances indicators to measure their very own efficiency or that of companions.
Fee schedule for 2023 to 2024
April 2023
Funds of as much as 80% of the entire 2023 to 2024 allocation might be made in April 2023 following passable receipt by 1 March 2023 of a report.
February 2024
Funds of as much as the remaining 20% of the 2023 to 2024 allocation might be made in April 2024 following passable receipt by 15 February 2023 of a report.
Reporting schedule for 2023 to 2024
March 2023
By 29 January 2023, we are going to offer you a template for the completion of a report, that should be returned by 1st March 2023, setting out:
how your 2023 to 2024 programme will work together with a complete plan for every vacation interval in scope
particulars of what number of youngsters you count on to work with
February 2024
By 15 December 2023, we are going to offer you a template for the completion of a report, that should be returned by 15 February 2024. The report will set out the precise variety of youngsters you labored with throughout supply of the programme at Easter, summer time and Christmas in 2022.
This could embrace:
the general variety of distinctive youngsters who participated within the programme
the general variety of distinctive youngsters in receipt of FSM who participated in your programme
who participated in your programme the quantity and proportion of youngsters who’re within the main faculty age vary, the secondary faculty age vary, and any youngsters exterior of these age ranges who attended the programme
the variety of youngsters with SEND or extra wants who’ve participated in your programme
Reporting after every vacation supply interval
As with earlier years, we are going to ask every native authority to supply us with details about the HAF programme after every supply interval.
We are going to ask numerous core questions in each report. Native authorities ought to be sure that the suppliers and golf equipment they work with are in a position to precisely acquire this data.
Information assortment
After every vacation interval, together with the optionally available extra half time period interval for these native authorities with a summer time vacation of 6 weeks or much less, we would require a knowledge return from every native authority that may set out what the price of the programme has been for the monetary yr so far.
It is going to additionally want to incorporate what number of youngsters participated in your programme over the past vacation interval together with, however not restricted to:
the general variety of distinctive youngsters who participated within the programme
the general variety of distinctive youngsters in receipt of FSM who participated in your programme
who participated in your programme the quantity and proportion of youngsters who’re within the main faculty age vary, the secondary faculty age vary, and any youngsters exterior of these age ranges who attended the programme
The place obligatory and along with the 1 March 2023 report, DfE might also ask native authorities to supply extra data on their plans for particular vacation intervals.
The entire information and knowledge collected by the vacation golf equipment and suppliers ought to all be collected in strict adherence to the Basic Information Safety Regulation (GDPR).
Further information assortment
Our intention for HAF 2023 to 2024 is to ask a small variety of native authorities to gather extra information on the kids that attend their HAF programme. It will enable DfE to cross match the information with our Nationwide Pupil Database, which incorporates quite a lot of data on pupil traits, training and household set-up.
It will assist us to grasp extra about those that the HAF programme is reaching and in addition enable us to watch any long-term impacts on youngsters who attend the programme. Having extra data in these areas will assist us to make sure that the HAF programme is set-up in a method that’s most useful to eligible households, in addition to strengthening the proof base for HAF extra broadly.
If we choose your native authority to take part on this extra information assortment, we are going to notify you by 31 January 2023 (or earlier the place potential) and can present you and your suppliers with extra help (together with information assortment teach-ins), templates and steerage.
In annex C of the grant dedication letter, we’ve set out DfE ’s customary GDPR clauses and the way private information might be collected, processed and saved by native authorities. This annex applies solely to native authorities who will take part on this extra information assortment. The annex additionally incorporates a listing of variables for information assortment.
Annual report
Along with the reporting necessities, we require every native authority to provide an annual report on their HAF programme which ought to embrace:
the general funding you may have spent on the HAF programme
programme the proportion of the funding that was spent on administration and a breakdown of how this was spent
what number of distinctive youngsters you may have reached in every vacation interval
the proportion of main age and secondary age youngsters who’ve participated in your programme
the variety of youngsters with SEND or extra wants who’ve participated in your programme
or extra wants who’ve participated in your programme data on the households and carers they’ve engaged with by the meals training, signposting and referrals side of their programme
which organisations are represented on their steering group
which organisations you may have labored with in delivering the programme
You might also embrace:
suggestions from members, their households or carers
outcomes of any surveys
case research or explicit highlights
how you may have promoted the programme and celebrated it by the media and social media
The report for the 2023 to 2024 HAF programme ought to be submitted to DfE by 30 June 2024. As with final yr, we are going to enable native authorities flexibility in how they format and current their annual report, however we are going to make a template accessible to native authorities in early 2024.
The 2023 to 2024 HAF programme report should be positioned on the native authority’s HAF web site.
Native authority HAF web site
We all know that almost all of native authorities now have a devoted HAF web site or a bit on their native authority web site devoted to the HAF programme. We all know that these are a worthwhile supply of data for folks, households, colleges and suppliers who’re attention-grabbing within the programme.
From April 2023, all native authorities should have a HAF web site or devoted pages on the their web site for his or her HAF programme.
It ought to embrace:
your annual report for the HAF programme
programme up-to-date data on what HAF provision is on the market in your space for each vacation interval, together with hyperlinks to reserving techniques or portals
provision is on the market in your space for each vacation interval, together with hyperlinks to reserving techniques or portals details about the requirements that suppliers are anticipated to stick to in delivering the programme
data for folks and households on what different assist is on the market tosupport them, for instance, details about tax-free childcare
data for colleges about programme and particulars about how they will become involved and help the programme
Certificates of expenditure
We can even require a certificates of expenditure (or assertion of grant utilization) which ought to be accomplished after the top of the 2022 to 2023 monetary yr and be submitted to DfE by 1 Could 2023. We are going to offer you a template and steerage for this doc on the finish of the reporting interval.
This certificates of expenditure will report on the actions funded by DfE and make sure that the grant outputs which were delivered as a part of the HAF programme:
have been delivered to a passable customary
the anticipated advantages have accrued or will accrue
These studies will help the regularity assurance assertion for the Nationwide Audit Workplace and your assertion will must be signed off by your chief monetary officer or chief inner auditor.
As soon as the statements have been returned to DfE , we are going to perform a pattern verify of as much as 10% of the statements. The native authorities chosen might be required to submit extra proof to reveal that the data declared within the assertion of expenditure is correct.
These native authorities chosen for this pattern verify might be notified by Friday sixth Could and might be supplied with additional directions on the method.
As a part of the assertion of expenditure evaluation course of, these native authorities who’ve an underspend on the 2022 programme might be contacted concerning the means of recovering any unspent funding.
