HAF Programme
Winter HAF programme boroughs to be confirmed soon
HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) Programme
The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme provides support to children from low-income families during school holiday periods.
Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families and our HAF programme provides free nutritious meals, enriching activities and safe environments for children with SEND who are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals, require a minimum of 1:1 support and have an EHCP.
Our clubs run on a borough-wide basis and offer a friendly, fun, social and inclusive environment with specialist equipment and facilities and trained staff. Staff have extensive training in Working with Children with SEND, Managing Challenging Behaviour and Safeguarding along with a number of other courses.
G’s Journey to the Park:
Building Confidence, Independence and Inclusion
G is a 10-year-old girl with complex needs, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), sensory processing difficulties, hypermobility and communication challenges. She also has cold-induced urticaria which poses a number of risks.
G often uses a buggy for longer distances and, until recently, had never been able to visit a park as part of her activities. When attending a venue, she would not have her chair with her and had previously been reluctant to venture outside.
Following a recent HAF programme, everything began to change.
A new opportunity
During the programme, G developed friendships with some of the other children. Watching her peers enjoy activities together gave G the confidence to express that she wanted to try something new - she wanted to go to the park.
For G, this was a significant step. The team recognised both the opportunity and the potential challenges and carefully planned how they could support her safely.
Taking into account her cold-induced urticaria, the team brought spare clothes, a hat, gloves and her medication, alongside their usual first-aid supplies. G was then given the opportunity to walk the short distance to the park herself, with the team providing the reassurance and support she needed.
Inclusion and independence
G absolutely loved being able to participate in an experience that her peers would typically take for granted. She enthusiastically explored the different play equipment and enjoyed being part of the group.
Importantly, G was not simply being taken to the park - she was supported to take part alongside her peers and to challenge what she believed she could do.
Walking to the park was a significant achievement for G and represented an important step towards greater independence. With the right preparation, reasonable adjustments and encouragement from the team, she was able to safely access an activity that had previously felt out of reach.
Building confidence and wellbeing
The impact of the experience was immediately clear. G was extremely excited to tell her dad about her adventure when she returned.
He was beyond thrilled by what she had achieved, giving her high fives and sharing in her excitement. G proudly announced:
“I went park… and I’m going again tomorrow!”
Her confidence continued to grow, and G successfully made the trip to the park again the following day.
This second visit was significant because it showed that this was not simply a one-off achievement. G had gained the confidence to repeat the experience and had begun to see the park as somewhere she could access and enjoy.
The impact
For many children, going to the park is an ordinary part of childhood. For G, it represented a major milestone.
Through the support of the HAF team, G was able to:
1. Increase her independence by walking to the park and taking part in an activity outside her usual environment.
2. Experience greater inclusion by participating in the same activity as her peers and enjoying the play equipment alongside them.
3. Build confidence by successfully overcoming a significant barrier and then choosing to repeat the experience the following day.
4. Improve her wellbeing through enjoyment, physical activity, social interaction and the sense of achievement that came from trying something new.
5. Develop friendships and social connections, helping her feel part of the group and giving her the motivation to try something she had previously been unable or unwilling to do.
6. Experience success and achievement, giving her and her family a greater sense of what may be possible with the right support and reasonable adjustments.
Most importantly, the experience has opened up her world. What began as a short walk to the park has created a new opportunity for independence, inclusion and exploration.
G’s excitement, pride and determination perfectly demonstrate the impact that inclusive provision can have. With the right support around her, G was able to overcome barriers, participate alongside her peers and discover that she could do something she had never done before.
For G, that is anything but a small achievement - it is a life-changing step towards a bigger, more inclusive world.
Children and young people can enjoy crafts and themed activities promoting confidence, positive relationships and of course, fun! They have indoor and outdoor spaces for physical activities and games. Our fun, interactive food sessions allow children to explore new smells, tastes and textures at their own pace – the children love to share new foods they have discovered through this activity with their families at home time!
If your booking is eligible, we will require you to complete the registration form and email us a copy of your child’s latest EHCP and a current photograph. We will then create a Tapestry account for your child where you will receive updates on what your child has been doing at the club (planners are typically uploaded within 72 hours of attendance). Please note that we cannot confirm your child’s place until all of these steps have been completed as we need all of the information to be able to create a tailored support plan for your child to ensure the service is safe and effective for them.
HAF Parent Feedback
My child is always happy to attend, to see the staff and to make new friends. Thank you for your unconditional support and for providing a safe, happy environment for our children to learn, play and grow. We look forward to sharing many more exciting days with you!”
I am so beyond happy with the SEN Easter HAF club.
The staff knew exactly how to engage my son, he was so comfortable with them which is a big deal for a child on the spectrum. He enjoyed it so much he asked me for more “Holiday Club”. I am very happy with the staff’s diligence and communication and, more importantly, the love and care they showed my son.”
For Families:
Our HAF programme are commissioned on a Summer, Winter and Easter holiday basis. Bookings typically open around one month prior to the start of the school holiday and you can register your interest by visiting www.eequ.org and entering where you live and the age of your child. You will see relevant Enabling Independence services for your borough to sign up for more information and bookings will go live if we have been commissioned for that holiday. Once bookings go live and you have submitted your booking, this will be confirmed for eligibility by the Local Authority before we are able to get in touch with you. If our scheme is full, we will operate a waitlist.
For Childcare Professionals:
All bookings are currently processed through www.eequ.org – our spaces are extremely limited and are booked very quickly. We may be able to accept additional children if you are able to fund this separately but would discuss this on a case by case basis. In this instance, please contact send@enablingindependence.org.uk and we will respond within two working days.
Think you could make a difference to children and young people’s lives and want some extra hours in the school holidays?
Why not apply to work at our HAF programme and help us change the lives of the children and families we work with
