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HAF provider FAQs

Section One: Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme Overview

Answer:

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme enables all Local Authorities across England to provide free healthy meals and enriching activities to families of children in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) during Summer, Spring and Winter.

Answer:

Families can experience significant pressure points during school holidays with reduced income and increased financial pressures because of the costs of food, childcare and enriching activities. Some families are less likely to access organised out-of-school activities during Spring, Summer, and Winter.

On Sunday 8 November 2020, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced the significant expansion of the Department for Education’s HAF Programme across England. This significant extension of the HAF Programme across England will enable all second-tier Local Authorities, including Staffordshire County Council, to work together with Partners to provide funded  healthy meals and enriching activities to families of children in receipt of Free School Meals during Summer, Spring and Winter.

Answer:

Yes, Staffordshire has facilitated highly successful Programme's during Summer, Spring and Winter since 2021. 

Answer:

The HAF Grants Scheme provides DfE funded places available at holiday clubs for families of children who receive and/or are eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals aged 5-16. The scheme will provide access to inclusive, enriching activities which also provide a free, healthy meal during the school holidays.

Answer:

Following a robust application process we are seeking to award Grants to successful organisations across the statutory (including our schools), private, community and voluntary sector who can meet the HAF Standards Framework 2024.

Applications must meet one of three categories outlined below:

  • Existing Holiday Club Provision - Provide additional funded places in an existing club which meets the standards of the HAF Programme during the School Holidays
       
  • New Holiday Club Provision - Provide new club activities which meet the standards of the HAF Programme during the School Holidays
       
  • Targeted Club Provision - Provide innovative activities which are targeted at specific cohorts of children, young people, and families during the School Holidays

 

Answer:

We are seeking for children (and their families) to: 

  • Be happy and healthy - We want our children and young people to be resilient, happy and healthy, making choices that support wellbeing. 
       
  • Feel safe and belong - We want our children and young people to feel safe in their community and at home, are safeguarded from harm and have a sense of belonging. 
       
  • Achieve and contribute - We want our children and young people to achieve their potential including a good education and employment, where they are supported to make positive contributions to their communities. 

We believe the HAF programme will contribute to the achievement of outcomes by: 

  • Supporting children and young people to be healthy over the school holidays 
       
  • Supporting children and young people to be more active during the school holidays 
       
  • Supporting children and young people to take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment. 
      
  • Supporting children and young people to be safe.
Answer:

Organisations across the statutory, private, community and voluntary sector are invited to apply to the HAF Grants Scheme which includes:

  • Voluntary and Community Organisations.
  • Constituted Groups or Clubs.
  • Uniformed Groups.
  • Registered Charities.
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO).
  • Not-For-Profit Companies.
  • Private Limited Companies (LTD).
  • Private Limited Companies.
  • Public Limited Companies (PLC).
  • Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP).
  • Private Unlimited Companies.
  • Community Interest Companies (CIC).
  • Schools and Multi Academy Trusts (MACs).
  • Early Years and Childcare Providers.
  • Statutory Organisations (including District, Borough, Town, and Parish Councils).

Organisations operating internationally, nationally, regionally and/or locally are considered eligible. Grants will not however, be awarded to:

  • Individuals.
  • Organisations based outside the United Kingdom.
  • One organisation applying on behalf of another (including Consultants).
  • Organisations prohibited from working with children, young people, and families.
  • Organisations who do not meet the requirements of the Department of Education.
Answer:
Yes, but the children attending the HAF Programme must reside in Staffordshire (or attend an education setting within Staffordshire).
Answer:

Yes, but the children attending the HAF Programme must reside in Staffordshire (or attend an education setting within Staffordshire).

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Section Two: Children, Young People and Families Eligibility

Answer:

The following children (and in some instances their families) are considered eligible for the HAF Programme in Staffordshire:

  • Children who receive benefits-related free school meals aged 5-16 (eligibility for free school meals is determined by the Department for Education).
  • Children identified by professionals who would benefit from the HAF programme via a referral process.
  • One sibling per household aged between 5-16 years of an eligible child who receives free school meals.
Answer:
No, the Department of Education have identified a primary age range of 5-16. Therefore, applications with a primary focus on under 5’s (excluding the below) and over 16’s will not be accepted.
Answer:
Yes, four-year olds who have already started reception year at primary school will be considered as school age by the HAF Grants Scheme.
Answer:
The Targeted Programmes category is seeking to provide funding for innovative activities which are targeted at specific cohorts of children, young people, and families.  Grants within this category can include the wider family, including parents and/or younger and older siblings.
Answer:

Staffordshire County Council will issue families with an individual eligible code which families will use to book onto an online central booking system.
Providers will be required to ensure only children with eligible codes receive a funded place.

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Section Three: Provision Requirements

Answer:

We are committed to developing a high-quality inclusive HAF Programme which embraces the conditions set out by the Department of Education. The Department for Education have developed a framework of standards to provide a benchmark of what they expect from organisations delivering the HAF Programme.

  • Full HAF = Provide at least four hours for four days a week over School Holidays with a meal.
  • HAF Light = Provide at least one two-hour sessions a week over School Holidays with a meal.

Organisations receiving Grants must adhere to the Standards Framework. Organisations unable to adhere to the Framework will be unsuccessful in their application.

Failure to comply with the Standards Framework, following a successful Grant, will lead to us withdrawing the Grant.

Answer:
Yes
Answer:
Applications proposing provision above the minimum requirement will be considered however additional funding for additional HAF places will only be granted by separate arrangement.
Answer:

Families and Children can choose how they wish to use their allocated places. Some will participate every day; some may use their allocation to attend at different clubs on other days. Considering this, a flexible approach is required by Providers.

Answer:
We expect that the food will meet the school food standards, ensuring all children receive a healthy, balanced meal. Providers are required to provide a minimum of one meal a day – this could be breakfast/lunch or tea/diner. The food served through the Programme should where possible be hot. There may be exceptional circumstances where a hot meal is not possible, and a cold alternative may be appropriate. This should be included in your application and need to be discussed and confirmed with the HAF team.
Answer:
Activities must include an element of nutritional education each day aimed at improving the knowledge and awareness of healthy eating for children. These do not need to be formal learning activities and could, for example, include activities such as including children in food preparation and cooking, growing fruit and vegetables, and taste tests. Activities must also include at least weekly training and advice sessions for parents, carers, or other family members, which provides advice on how to source, prepare and cook nutritious and low-cost food.
Answer:
No. Children should access both food provision and have access to enriching activities.
Answer:
This provision is in place for children to access enriching activities and to have a healthy meal when they are in attendance. There is no expectation to provide food provision to those children who have booked but not attended.
Answer:

No. We require the summer provision to offer varied opportunities to families and children.
All provision should be inclusive and accessible, and consider age, location and accessibility and what support is available to children with SEND.

Answer:
It will be for individual Providers to ensure they select venues which are in accessible community locations and venues and ensure they are safe, clean and have appropriate risk assessments in place daily.
Answer:
Yes, Providers will have the flexibility to adapt the programme to suit the needs of their children providing they are not compromising the support available to children and families via professional services.
Answer:

Providers will be required to submit the following information and guidance will be shared prior to delivery.

  • Complete and return Staffordshire County Council’s attendance record template within 10 working days of the HAF provision finishing for that term.
  • Attendance records must be completed in full with accurate information.
  • A case study of the impact the provision has had on children and families.
  • Evaluation and feedback from children and families
  • Photographs with permission.
Answer:

Marketing and promoting the programme is a partnership between Staffordshire County Council and providers.
Staffordshire county Council will promote with all stakeholders corporately and providers are required to advertise, market, and promote their own HAF club/s to ensure that each funded place is taken.

Answer:

Providers will receive 50% funding in advance on the agreed number of places to be provided. 
The final 50% grant payment will be made following the timely return of attendance records, case studies, evaluation & feedback, and photographs.
Poor attendance, below 60%, may reduce the final payment made.

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