BARNSLEY Council has accepted a grant totalling almost £3m which will support thousands of the most vulnerable children across the town during holiday periods.
The Holiday Activities and Food Programme is managed by the Department for Education and is distributed to each local authority.
The council has accepted a grant for the scheme, totalling £2.976m, for the next three years and the budget must be spent within each financial year.
Easter, summer and Christmas are the core delivery periods for the HAF programme.
As a minimum, local authorities must deliver at least the equivalent of six weeks’ HAF provision across the delivery year with each week containing a minimum of four days, so equating to a minimum of 24 days.
According to a report, there are more than 10,000 children eligible for free school meals in the town and are therefore able to take part in the scheme.
However, the number of youngsters who used the service was less than 20 per cent.
It said: “To be eligible for HAF funded places at clubs, children must be in receipt of benefits-related free school meals.
“Ahead of the winter 2025 HAF programme, there were around 10,500 eligible children.
“The Easter 2025 HAF programme offered 7,387 funded places over nine days.
“The total utilisation of the programme was 55 per cent, with 1,346 unique FSM eligible children attending.
“The programme, therefore, reached 13 per cent of all FSM eligible children.
“The summer 2025 HAF programme offered a total of 18,241 places over 20 days.
“In addition, there were 450 places over two celebration events and unlimited drop in places at community sessions.
“Total utilisation was 55 per cent with 1,900 unique children reached.
“This equates to 18.1 per cent of FSM eligible children reached.”
The council say the scheme is likely to have a ‘significant positive impact’ on the children who are eligible to take part in the programme.
The report added: “Our Great Childhoods Ambition is a commitment to improving the lives and futures of our children and young people, providing a range of experiences and learning opportunities to help give them the best start in life and adulthood.
“We have reduced inequalities across the borough.
“People have the opportunities for lifelong learning and developing new skills.
“Children and young people achieve the best outcomes through improved educational achievement and attainment.
“There is likely to be a significant positive impact on school aged children who are eligible for free school meals.”
Anna Hartley, executive director for public health and communities, said: “The Holiday Activities and Food Programme is a national initiative launched in 2021 to provide holiday clubs for children eligible for means tested free school meals.
“Each club provides children with a healthy meal alongside fun physical activities and enriching learning.
“Locally the programme is known as ‘Healthy Holidays’ and is delivered by a range of appropriately qualified organisations.
“Following a three-year extension to the grant, and to comply with procurement law, Barnsley Council has undertaken a competitive procurement exercise to ensure Healthy Holidays continues to provide the best quality clubs to local children.”
