HAF Key Information, Guidance & Criteria

The Department of Education are the key funders of Essex ActivAte and therefore have their own guidance relating to the Holiday Activities and Food programme. Please see here the guidance which contains the framework and expectations that we are set to achieve through our delivery.

As part of the programme we are able to use a small amount of the funded spaces for children who fall outside of the FSM eligibility requirement, yet would benefit from attending a club to support their wellbeing. 

We are now managing this via a referral process working with our Child and Family support services who are in direct contact with those children who would benefit. 

 If you work with children of school age who you believe would benefit from attending a club over the Summer Holidays where they will receive a nutritious meal, you are able to refer them to our programme. Please contact us to get the necessary form: [email protected]

Those suitable would be:

- Vulnerable child / Child in Need (CiN) Plan  
– Care experienced child/ previously care experienced child  
- Transition phase between nursery/primary or primary/secondary (access to the programme for the holiday before your child starts school)  
- Education, health and care plan (EHCP)  
– Young carer   
- Child protection plan / known to social services  
- At risk of school exclusion or Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)  
- Lives in an area of high deprivation / from a low income household not in receipt of income related free school meals  
- Refugee status / asylum seeker  

Once we receive your referral, we will check the eligibility against the list highlighted above and then raise a unique code for the child with 20 credits for the Summer provision. A unique code will be sent direct to the parent / or the referral partners in order to make the booking. 

Please see here a visual to support your understanding.

Essex ActivAte 2026

Cancellation and No-Show Policy

During the delivery of Essex ActivAte 2026, we saw a fantastic number of bookings through the Holiday Activities booking platform. However, almost a third of these bookings were either cancelled at the last minute or resulted in children not attending. As a result, hundreds of eligible children missed out on a free Holiday Club space, and significant amounts of food were wasted.

What to do if your child cannot attend:

We understand that plans can change, and there may be times when your child cannot attend their booked holiday club. If this happens, please cancel their place and give the holiday club provider as much notice as possible — ideally 48 hours.

Cancelling in advance allows another child the chance to attend and benefit from the programme.

It’s quick and easy to cancel a booking on HolidayActivities. You can find a step‑by‑step guide here: Parent FAQs – https://help.holidayactivities.com/hc/en-gb/categories/14823946082705-I-m-a-parent

Guidance on non-attendance:

If a child misses two or more booked sessions during the holiday period without the place being cancelled in advance, all their remaining bookings with that Essex ActivAte Club will be cancelled. This allows other children the opportunity to attend and make the most of the programme.

If you have any questions about Essex ActivAte holiday clubs, please email: [email protected]

Read more here.

Learn more here.