Holiday Activity & Food Programme - Summer 2022

Following a review and building on the success of pilot projects in targeted Local Authorities since 2018, the DfE announced in November 2020 a further £220m investment (nationally) to expand the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme, to provide access to activities and food to children eligible for free school meals (FSM) during the School holidays. As part of this investment, London borough of Sutton (LBS) will receive funding to implement the programme to local families for 6 weeks of the Schools holiday in 2022.

The aim of the overall programme is to make free places available to children eligible for benefits-related free school meals for the equivalent of at least four hours a day, four days a week and for six weeks a year. This would cover four weeks in the summer and a week's worth of provision in each of the Easter and Christmas holidays in 2022. We can also offer 15% of places to children who do not fit into this cohort but who we identify as vulnerable groups.

This programme will allow LBS and its local providers to deliver a variety of different holiday activities and healthy food options for children and young people aged 5 - 16 years and eligible for FSM . The Council's project team will use the lessons identified in this first phase to develop and design the Summer and Winter provision.

This programme will bring together different communities and create safe and supportive environments to support children and young people's nutrition, Physical development and address social isolation.