HAF - Families

The programme runs for one week at Easter, four weeks over the summer and one week at Christmas.

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

Please note this is not for children on universal free school meals.

If you are not sure if you are eligible, please use the eligibility checker.

Each programme will provide a range of exciting activities, games and new experiences for children, along with a healthy main meal.

Children will have the chance to try new sporty or creative activities and make new friends!

There will also be the opportunities for families to share ideas about how to source high quality, healthy food cheaply, creative ways to encourage a healthy diet and fun ways to cook as a family.

Please find information below detailing our funded HAF Programmes that are running over the holiday periods in Kent. Please contact Programmes directly for more information.

To request a place at your preferred HAF Programme, please follow the link through the HAF Programme E-voucher that will have been issued to you through your child’s school. The following Holiday Activities - Parents Guide will take you through a step-by-step process for booking through your Holiday Activities E-voucher.

If you think you are eligible and have not received a voucher, then firstly please contact your child’s school. If you need further help please email the HAF team.

All Programme partners are committed to making their Programme accessible for a wide range of children. Please provide the Programme with good information about your child and their needs which will enable them to ensure that your child is fully included and can enjoy the opportunities that are offered.

Providing information on this ‘All About Me’ form may support conversations with HAF Programme staff to ensure your child’s individual needs are fully met.

All About Me Form

The Department for Education (DfE) funded Holiday Activities 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.

Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) is a government scheme to help working families with their childcare costs. Parents and carers who are eligible can open online childcare accounts to pay their registered childcare providers directly and the government will add to the account to help towards childcare costs and save money. Tax-Free Childcare - Kent County Council

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) - Kent County Council

Activities outside school - Kent County Council

College, sixth form, employment and training. If you're 15 or 16 years old, it's time to start thinking about your future. You need to stay in education or training until you're 18, but how you do it is your choice. If you're under 18, find out how we can help if you don't like your course or placement. - College, sixth form, employment and training - Kent County Council

Early Help (support for families). We provide services that can be accessed at a time and place that suits families to help them to do well, stay safe and resolve problems at the earliest possible opportunity before they become more serious. - Early Help (support for families) - Kent County Council