Improving Holiday Activity Access for SEND Children

The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, promotes and protects the rights of children, especially the most vulnerable, and advocates for their views and interests.

Recent findings from the Children’s Commissioner indicate that across England, disabled children from low-income families could be experiencing exclusion from holiday activities as provision is too far from home, inaccessible or lacks the support required for the individual.

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme provides eligible children who receive benefits related free school meals (FSM)* with access to holiday camps, nutritious meals, and enriching activities during school breaks. Launched by the Department for Education (DfE) in 2018, the key aim of the HAF programme is to tackle holiday hunger. Through the creation of fully funded holiday opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, HAF also helps families manage childcare challenges amid the rising cost of living.  In Hertfordshire HAF is known as the HAPpy: Holiday Activity programme.

While the HAF programme has delivered many positive outcomes across the country, the Children’s Commissioner comments that there is still work to be done to ensure it is fully accessible to all eligible children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Drawing on unpublished self-reported data from the Department for Education, the Children’s Commissioner’s report estimates that thousands of children with identified SEND who are eligible for FSM may be missing out on the HAF programme, compared with their peers. 

They highlighted that children from low-income families who also have SEND often face additional barriers that can limit their participation in HAF activities. These barriers include transport challenges, the higher costs associated with specialist staffing, the need for additional training, and the requirement for tailored activities. The findings reinforce the importance of continuing to strengthen inclusive opportunities so that all children can benefit from physical activity, enrichment experiences, and social interaction during the school holidays.

In Hertfordshire, inclusivity remains at the heart of HAF/HAPpy delivery. All programme provision is designed to be inclusive, and specialist SEND provision continues to receive strong support. In 2025, 3,846 SEND-specific provision places were offered as part of the HAF programme in Hertfordshire, with a further 167 fully funded places made available through a short breaks local offer during the spring and summer holidays. 90% of eligible participants were able to access HAF provision within 10 miles of their home, helping to remove the potential transport barrier, and 28 SEND-specific camps were offered in the summer programme, ensuring that children with higher level additional needs had access to the specialised and supportive environments they required.

One of the primary recommendations made by the Children’s Commissioner is to ensure that HAF programmes are adequately resourced to deliver truly inclusive provision. At a local level, together with Hertfordshire County Council, Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) will continue to strive for improved provision for those with SEND. To improve the skills and knowledge of HAF programme staff, organisations delivering activities in Hertfordshire can access a suite of fully funded training that now includes courses on equality & diversity, disability, neurodiversity and autism awareness, while British Sign Language was also taught as part of the workforce development programme.

HAF provision in Hertfordshire continues to be rated highly with positive feedback received from parents. One parent said;

“He made new friends, he loved the activities there and members of the team were very supportive and helpful considering that he's a SEND child.”

However, even as HAF funded holiday activity provision in Hertfordshire continues to receive positive feedback, the team remains committed to ongoing improvement. This will ensure eligible* children and young people with a disability can stay active, build confidence and enjoy meaningful holiday experiences which otherwise they may struggle to access.

The full article from the Children’s Commissioner can be found here.

* from September 2026 the eligibility for HAF will be ‘Targeted’ FSM, (DfE)