Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) FAQs
When will I be able to book my child onto activities?
All eligible children and young people will receive a unique code and HAF information flyer from their school, or from the professional they're working with, at least four weeks before the holidays.
Bookings will open at least four weeks before the holidays.
What do I need to do?
- Use the what’s on guide to find which holiday club is suitable for your child/ren. Electronic copies of the guide will be sent to you by your child/rens school.
- Book onto an activity by contacting the organisation running the holiday club direct, using the contact details in the guide.
- When making a booking, please quote your unique HAF code (see HAF information leaflet for each holiday).
- What if my child/ren haven’t received an information leaflet and code. If your child/ren has SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) or receives any extra help at school, before booking onto activity please contact the holiday club to discuss your child/s needs. (Please see holiday what's on guide for more information about SEND).
- If you have any queries about your booking or the activities on offer, please contact the organisation running the holiday club directly.
- If you've been referred onto the programme by a professional, please email HAF.programme@shropshire.gov.uk for more information.
When do the activities start?
The HAF programme funds holiday activity over the main three school holidays – Easter/spring, summer and Christmas/winter.
The what’s on guide and information about how to book will be sent out to eligible children and young people four weeks before the holiday.
What if my child/ren haven't received an information leaflet and code?
If you're unable to find your code, or you have any other queries, please contact your school directly or the professional supporting you. If your enquiry is during the holidays and the school is closed, please email the HAF Team HAF.programme@shropshire.gov.uk
What will happen with the information I provide about my child to the activity providers?
The General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 allow us to hold information about children and families as part of our duty to support families.
However, the law says we must:
- Only hold information that we need for the delivery of the programme
- Only use the information for that reason
- Make sure the information we hold is accurate
- Keep the information only for as long as it's needed
- Make sure we only use the information lawfully and not breach your rights as the owner of this information
- Keep the information secure at all times
Organisations we work with will work within GDPR as above. They'll only need to share data with us to allow us to evaluate the success of the programme to report back to central government.
Other questions or need help?
You can email us with any questions, and one of the HAF coordinators will respond within three working days.
How can I make a referral onto the HAF programme?
Local authorities have discretion to use some of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children and young people who are not in receipt of benefits related free school meals.
In Shropshire this includes children and young people who live in areas of high deprivation and/or from low-income households who are not in receipt of benefits related free school meals
There are a limited number of free places available for children and young people who meet the wider eligibility criteria of living in areas of high deprivation and/or from low-income households on the Shropshire HAF programme.
To make a referral onto the programme please complete our referral form.
We make the final decision on which children and young people should benefit from the flexible funding element of the HAF programme.
For more information on referrals please email email HAF.programme@shropshire.gov.uk