Havering Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)

Being eligible for free school meals gives you access to funded spaces for the Havering HAF Programme.

What is HAF and who is it for?

Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families. For some children this can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from low-income households being:

  • less likely to access organised out-of-school activities
  • more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health
  • more likely to experience social isolation

Haverings HAF programme is a response to this issue, with evidence showing that funded holiday clubs can have a positive impact on children and young people.

The programme is designed to support families on a lower income and are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals, or children who are considered to be vulnerable.  The provision is for school aged children from reception to year 11 who live in Havering.

Children who attend a HAF session will have access to a full range of activities and they will receive a healthy nutritious meal.

As a result of this programme, we want children who attend Holiday provision to:

  • Eat more healthily over the school holidays.
  • Be 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 to be socially isolated.
  • Have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition.
  • Be more engaged with school and other local services.

We also want to ensure that the families who participate in this programme:

  • Develop their understanding of nutrition and food budgeting.
  • Are signposted towards other information and support, for example, health, employment, and education.

In addition to children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals, Local Authorities (LAs) have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to enhance existing support that families currently receive, by enabling LAs to extend the HAF programme to provide subsidised or funded holiday club places for children who are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM, but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF provision. Please review the Havering HAF Referral Policy for the new 15% vulnerable family referral criteria and referral process.

We work closely with the local authority and services to ensure all eligible children can benefit from this fantastic opportunity. HAF programmes are delivered during the Easter, Summer and Winter school holidays.  Where eligible children will be able to access up to 4 sessions (during the Easter and Winter holidays) and 16 sessions (during the Summer holiday) of funded fun activities and receive a nutritious healthy meal. Information of the Havering HAF programmes and activities where HAF funded places are available will be provided on the below link once the programme has launched.

Find out more about the HAF programme