HAF Programme summer summary 2022

This page gives a summary of the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme events that took place across Devon in the summer of 2022.

Overview

We had 58 activity providers, offering a wide variety of activities and a total of 33,000 places across Devon this summer.

A HAF place is four hours, four days per week over four weeks in the summer holiday total 16 days.

The total number of HAF-funded unique attendees this summer was 10,680, of whom 9,986 were of primary age and 694 were of secondary age.

Attendance

The table below shows the breakdown of the children and young people who attended the HAF scheme in Devon during the summer of 2022.

Please note that FSM refers to free school meals and SEND denotes Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Summer HAF figures 2022	Primary age	Secondary age	Total
FSM-eligible + non-SEND	5,888	356	6,244
FSM-eligible + non-SEND (Ukrainian)	128	0	128
FSM-eligible + SEND	1,108	159	1,267
FSM Eligible + SEND (Ukrainian)	6	0	6
Not FSM-eligible + non-SEND	242	57	299
Not FSM-eligible + SEND	232	40	272
TOTAL number of HAF funded FSM eligible attendees (sum of above)	7,604	612	8,216
Other (free)	72	38	110
Other (paid for)	2,310	44	2,354
TOTAL number of attendees (sum of all including others)	9,986	694	10,680

As shown in the table above, a total of 8,216 children (7,604 primary age and 612 secondary age) who are FSM-eligible attended HAF events during summer 2022. We are very pleased to say this is a take up rate of 48% for our FSM-eligible children in Devon.

We have also identified that the average number of sessions a child attended has increased this year. For summer 2022, the average was four sessions for primary age and three sessions for secondary age.

SEND attendance

There were 1,539 individual children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who attended the HAF summer 2022 scheme.

Of these young people, 1267 (1,108 primary and 159 secondary) were eligible for free school meals, while 272 (232 primary and 40 secondary) were not eligible for FSM.

No shows and empty places

Our activity providers kept waiting lists and over booked places, which led to a reduction in the amount of no shows for the county, places could be filled from the waiting list maximising the numbers of children attending the schemes.

Some providers stated that they could have filled more places

Other eligible children

15% of the budget can be used for children who are outside of the FSM category, and this can include children with SEND. Following feedback form Parent Carer Forum Devon (PCFD) last year, extra effort went into ensuring we have removed any possible barriers for parents of children with SEND. We insist all HAF schemes are inclusive and have set aside further funding to help pay for 1:1 support workers.

Recruitment of support workers is, as is the case in all sectors, a currently a challenge for providers, so the number of places would be dependent on the staffing available. We have tried to be creative in finding solutions to this, so we have invited parents and enablers to attend schemes alongside their child.

We would want to encourage parents to inform the provider at the time of booking of their child’s needs so we can ensure they have a great time, and their needs can be met before they start their HAF sessions.

Ukrainian or refugee attendance

All refugees are able to access a HAF scheme as an FSM child. However, once those places were full, we were able to access other funds to offer more places for these children.

We have had a total of 128 unique refugee children attend this summer; and what a difference this is making for these families! Children are meeting friends and having fun.

Barriers to eligible children attending included:

Places filled up quickly
Recruitment of staff to be able to offer more places/extra days, especially for children with additional needs was a difficulty.

Parents or carers

We carried out a consultation with parents/carers (hereafter referred to as “parents”) at the end of the summer holiday to gather their feedback.

We had 375 responses, with an impressive 82% of parents rated the HAF scheme as excellent. A further 14% of respondents said the scheme was good.

When asked how the scheme could be improved, parents told us that they wanted more of it in more of the school holidays. The Department for Education (DfE) only fund the scheme for four days at Easter, 16 days in summer and four days at Christmas, so we are unable to extend the offer without further funding.

We will be working with our HAF providers to ensure that they can offer parents help with how to pay for childcare using the existing government funding streams. We are also supporting some of the HAF providers to register with Ofsted so they are able to access these funding streams.

The top reasons for parents choosing a HAF scheme for their child was enjoyment and new activities. Meanwhile, parents told us that the main way that they found out about HAF was through their school, followed by word of mouth and social media. Thank you to our schools in Devon who are integral to getting the information out to the right families and agreeing to our providers operating on the school premises.

“This scheme has been invaluable to us, giving the children opportunities to do activities we could not normally afford”

Feedback from a parent

Food element

In Devon, we insisted all children attending HAF get a hot, nutritious meal in keeping with the school food standards. This is a challenge for some providers due to the use of premises. However, this is a popular part of the scheme, with parents telling us it takes the pressure off them financial and that knowing their child has had a hot meal during the day has helped to reduce their stress.

Some providers get caterers in to provide the food, others cook it themselves, while some are able to get the school cook to provide the meal and use the school kitchen. What’s more, some of our providers have been able to forge new partnerships with local cafes to deliver the meals.

Unfortunately, on occasions a caterer has had to withdraw from the scheme before the end of the holidays, which led to a cold lunch being provided as there was no other alternative at late notice.

We also had extremely hot weather this summer, which has prompted some providers to ask if the offer can be a nutritious cold lunch when the temperature is high; this is something the steering group may consider for 2023.

“My daughter has eaten curry and cottage pie. How did you do that? She is now asking for this at home”.

Feedback from a parent

“Can we have a menu so I can choose what I would like?

Feedback from a child

Quality visits

Our Early Years and Childcare team visited all of our HAF schemes and found the following.

What went well?

Getting such positive feedback from parents, carers and children
Seeing the children grow in confidence
Seeing children sitting down to enjoy a meal together
Seeing children trying new activities they couldn’t normally afford
Watching children from different schools and areas making new friends
The fact that children kept asking to come back
Reducing down the number of no shows using waiting lists

We asked a child at one of the schemes what she does when she is not at the farm, to which she replied “I am dreaming of when I come back again”. Another child said that if he was at home he stays in bed playing on his phone, while others told us that they watch Netflix or are gaming for most of the day.

What could have gone better, or what could be changed next time?

We do need to have a separated programme for 12-16 year olds
Increase the number of places offered
More information for parents on the food education and food offer
Change the terminology to funded place not free
Providers to give out a menu in advance for the hot meal & strengthen the Food education element of the programme.
Offer activities for families

We have had so much positive feedback it is hard to choose what to share, but what we do know is that HAF is making a difference to the right children in Devon. This is our second year of delivery, and we continue to learn ways of improving the programme across the county.

Annex A – feedback from parents

It did give us a place to go which was welcoming and on the whole inclusive. It was a relief to have an option that was not costing us much money (just the transport costs). It was lovely to have support from school staff, to share the responsibility of caring for a profoundly disabled young person. Also nice not to have to keep making packed lunches.

My daughter is a young carer so it gives her that space away from caring and enjoy meeting new friends and having no stress. She can just be a child

It meant I could spend time with my other 2 children. It meant day trips where I didn’t have to worry about meltdowns / sensory overload. I could also have a break in the school holidays

It’s made a difference to us as parents knowing there is a facility for children who’s parents can not afford the activities provided. It’s wonderful when they came home to hear all they had done that day . It touched us as parents and helps us to not feel such failures as we can not afford to do simple things that children should be doing .

Helped to keep my son keep busy during the summer, with activities that wouldn’t always be able to afford to do.

Huge. It’s meant that my son can be involved in activities that other families can afford. He’s not left out

It’s been great to meet people who are knowledgeable and receptive to SEN. Other providers are not always receptive

No difference, but the enjoyment in his face every day after happy holidays was fantastic

The funded part if the day was very helpful, this made the rest of the summer holiday care more affordable.

My son has ADHD suspected ASD. Being a single parent, it’s difficult. This give my son chance to be with other kids, running around, playing, learning, engaging. This helps with his sleeping massively. It provides routine during holidays he desperately needs.

Knowing my son had a week of wholesome outdoor activity improved my own sense of self worth. Due to low income we can’t afford to do stuff that costs money. This activity was great for all of us.

James had an enjoyable few weeks keeping active which is something I can’t always provide. The scheme is invaluable.

Annex B – feedback from children and young people

I ask one child who I was helping with the food activity if he was enjoying the scheme, he said ‘yes’ I asked what he enjoyed most and he said ‘having fun!’. Then the child on 1-1 came over to show me his planted tomato seeds and was able to tell me what they needed to grow.

I love playing dodgeball and catch the flag. I wish they offered spaghetti as I would demolish it. Mac and cheese has been my favourite meal so far. I tried kiwi for the first time whilst making smiley faces.

Another child when asked Did you enjoy today, he said ‘no!’ I asked why? he then replied ‘I LOVED it!!! ha!!!! trying to trick me!

‘I have made lots of friends that don’t go to my school’ ‘all of the adults are lovely people and kind and they look after us’

One child said after making his puppet ‘I didn’t think I would be any good at making it but I was really good at it!’ he was so proud, the puppet was awesome and he then helped the younger children with theirs.

My favourite dinner has been: jacket potato with cheese and beans chicken korma macaroni and cheese I tried mango and kiwi and now they are my favourite

Matt 12 has autism, only latterly diagnosed after several exclusions, now attends a special school in another area. M loved the go karting enjoyed the food.

I love coming here, I made friends last summer from different schools and they are back, which is great my favourite part is the coaches, they help us and make it fun and are really kind’

I am really glad I get to come here and be away from home, because I have a lot of brothers and sisters, my little sister and brother comes here too but its nice to be away from the big ones for a bit’ if I wasn’t here I would just be on my play station, so it’s good to get outside and play different sports ‘I have autism and sometimes I struggle with my emotions and some children get me angry but the coaches understand and help me’

David enjoyed the gymnastics session as he knows how to do a front flip. He sometimes likes the food, sometimes not. He did not like the Chilli and rice as it was too spicy. He said that if he did not come to the Holiday Club he would be at home on his own either watching tv or on his phone.

‘I love this place, I have come a lot of weeks. All the coaches are nice and they talk to us nice,’ ‘the adults help us if we have any problems’ ‘my little sister comes with me, but we don’t need to be nervous because everyone is friendly and we made friends from other schools’ ‘I never scared to come, I too excited’ ‘I tried food here I wouldn’t never have before, I thought I didn’t like carrot cake but I ate the whole thing here’ ‘I held a snake but i wasn’t scared, it was slimy, it didn’t bite me, I am going to tell my mummy I am brave’ ‘If I wasn’t here I would be with my grandma, its better to be here getting to play else I would be bored, my legs are tired though’ ‘my favourite things about coming here is the football!’

Asking what food they have had over the holidays I got told ‘sausage casserole, fish and chips, jacket potato, beans and cheese ‘I don’t like cheese!’ and another child said ‘I wish there was more options’ Some children went back for seconds and when they returned I heard them saying ‘its delicious!’

I got asked my name and why I was there, I said I had come to see what things were going on, the child replied ‘I love it! It has my two favourite things, food and football!’

One young person said that he enjoyed sawing the wood as a family member was a carpenter and so it was in his blood. Another was busy taking photos, he said he was the photographer, proudly sharing some of his photos.

A young person who was attending with a carer, felt settled and comfortable after the first few sessions that they did not need the carer to accompany them