Holiday Activities with Food Schemes Framework 2027-2031

This project is for the tender of an Open register of suppliers for the provision of funded Holiday Activities and Food Schemes (HAF). The Department for Education (DfE) funded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme will deliver healthy free holiday activities for benefits-eligible Free School Meal children.

Programme guidance includes an opportunity for the Authority to use 5% of projected budget underspend on half-term holiday periods. The DfE HAF programme aims to ensure there are quality schemes that result in children and young people: • receiving healthy and nutritious meals • maintaining a healthy level of physical activity • being happy, having fun and meeting new friends • developing a greater understanding of food, nutrition, and other health-related issues • taking part in fun and engaging activities that support their development. • feeling safe and secure • getting access to the right support services • returning to school feeling engaged and ready to learn Families can also benefit, when HAF providers include their needs in planning and delivering their programme.

This could be through: • providing opportunities to get involved in sessions, eg cookery classes • ensuring they are signposted towards other sources of information and support, such as health services or employment and education opportunities The local authorities’ additional aims for the Programme are: • to have outstanding signposting support for participating children and their families • to have genuinely inclusive provision with no child turned away due to their additional needs • to strengthen partnership working within local areas • to increase prosperity by encouraging recruitment of local workers The HAF Programme is targeted towards children and young people who attend school, aged 4-16, in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. The Local Authority also requires providers to have high regard to access and inclusion and bidders must be able to evidence that they have robust policies and inclusive practice in place.