Information for professionals

The Department for Education (DfE) funded Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme aims to support children, young people and families eligible for HAF to:

eat more healthily over the school holidays and try new foods
be more active during the school holidays
take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment
be safe and not so socially isolated
have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition
be more engaged with school and other local services
be able to develop their understanding of nutrition and food budgeting
be signposted towards other information and support, for example, health, employment and education

Further detail about what the HAF programme is and why it was created can be found here. Information for professionals about the HAF programme is set out below.

Who is this programme for?

Funding will be prioritised for school aged children and young people from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who are eligible for and receiving benefit related free school meals, and their families.

Providers can choose to use up to 15% of their funding towards funding or subsidising the costs of places for children who are not in receipt of benefits-related Free School Meals but who meet the extended eligibility criteria. This includes:

children assessed by the local authority as being in need, at risk or vulnerable (for example, children on a Child Protection Plan, Children in Need or on an Early Help plan)
young carers
looked-after children or previously looked after children
children with an EHC (education, health and care) plan
children who have low attendance rates at school or who are at risk of exclusion
children living in areas of high deprivation or from low-income households who are not in receipt of free school meals
children in transition phases between nursery and primary school or primary and secondary school

If you know of a child who would benefit from the programme but does not fit any of the criteria, please contact providers in their local area and the Devon HAF team to see if any spaces are available.

When is the programme running?

Overall, Devon County Council is expected to offer the equivalent of six weeks’ holiday provision to eligible children (a total of 24 days of at least four hours, including a hot meal each day).

Providers will offer:

Easter – a maximum of four days of face-to-face provision.
Summer – four weeks of face-to-face provision, which cover a maximum of 16 days of at least four hours provision.
Christmas – a maximum of four days for four hours provision, but can include two days of four hours and an equivalent of two days support, not face-to-face (which can include high-quality food hampers and activity packs).

How do the children we are working with access the programme?

To access the programme, parents and carers should book a place directly with one of the providers in their local area.

See the full list of providers for winter 2023

Please refer parent carers to this list. Booking details for each provider are given in the list.

What if the child has additional needs?

If the child requires assistance for the activity, parents and carers should contact the given provider to discuss further – the parent or carer may be welcome to attend or the activity provider may offer extra support for the child.

The providers on offer include those experienced in working with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and are therefore appropriately trained to support children with a disability or additional needs.

Contact information

If you have any queries, please email haf@devon.gov.uk.