Decision details

Doncaster Council has been allocated £1,379,600 from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activity & Food Programme.

The £1,379,600 will be used to offer free holiday and food activity places to children and young people, who receive benefits-related free school meals. Of this, £350,000 has been allocated for the Christmas period.

The following information will be shared with partners across Doncaster, asking for programme proposals to be submitted.

Doncaster Council wish to commission a partner(s) that can provide free places at holiday clubs available in the Christmas holidays 2021. This will be made available to children in the local authority area who are eligible for and receive benefits-related free school meals.

Doncaster Council must ensure that holiday activities must be available for a minimum of at least 4 days during the Christmas 2021 holiday period (20th December – 4th January). The successful partner(s) will have flexibility about how they deliver this level of provision to best serve the needs of children and families in Doncaster, within the guidelines and taking into account the flexibilities outlined below.

Partners must ensure that sufficient, adequate provision is available across the borough for children with SEND or additional needs. Partner(s) must follow all Government guidance in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, including the ‘protective measures for holiday and after-school clubs, and other out-of-school settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’https:
//www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak May 2021.

The Christmas 2021 holiday programme is targeted at children whose families receive benefits related free school meals and it is expected that a chosen partner (working in conjunction with schools) will undertake the necessary promotion to the eligible children and their families in order to maximise take up of the provision. We expect this will be undertaken using the ‘Edulog’ communication system.

There is greater flexibility in the programme for Christmas – The DFE will support a blended programme of both face-to-face provision alongside high quality hampers and activity packs providing it meets the expectation of a minimum of 4 days’ worth of provision/support.

The DFE expectation is that all children taking part in HAF this Christmas should receive a minimum of two days of face-to-face provision. Beyond that, LAs will have scope to provide
additional support to participating children and this additional support should be tailored to the needs of the children and families in the LA.

If unable to deliver 4 days of face-to-face provision across the borough, an alternative approach, meeting DFE minimum expectation of how provision might be delivered is:
- Two days of face-to-face provision.
- This could be similar to the HAF provision we have seen at Easter and in the summer.
- It could also be, for example, a Christmas festival or fayre where children and their families are invited along to take part in activities together, prepare a festive meal together and socialise. At these events, the DFE expect that those attending should eat high quality, healthy food and take part in some fun activities.
- It could also involve a day trip, day out or a cultural enrichment experience, providing that this includes a healthy meal as well as an element of physical activity, for example, a walk.
- Alongside this, the DFE would expect that children who attend the above face-to-face provision also receive the equivalent of a minimum of two further days of support in the form of high-quality food hampers and activity packs.

To agree to fund activities during the Christmas 2021 Schools Holidays of up to £350,000 from the Department for Education’s Holiday, Activity & Food Programme on a range of proposals as set out in box 3.

On Friday 19th March the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones and Overview and Scrutiny Consultee: Councillor Jane Kidd, agreed to approve the RULE 16 DECISION: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES AND FOOD PROGRAMME.

As part of this Rule 16 decision it was agreed; To delegate decisions around how to allocate the grant within its terms and conditions to the Assistant Director: Partnerships, Early Intervention & Localities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Schools.

Not to take receive the Grant and to fund the Holiday Activity and Food Programme from existing Council budgets. This option was rejected as without the funding the programmes could not be delivered.