A mother facing challenges shared her emotional experience when her son was denied access to a school summer club due to his special needs. Recent findings by Sense, a disability charity, indicate that merely six percent of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England will receive support at holiday clubs this summer.
The research also reveals that one in 10 local councils in England do not provide holiday clubs for disabled children, leaving over 61,000 children without access to such services. This lack of support is compelling some parents to give up work to provide full-time care and others to struggle with the high costs of private assistance, amounting to hundreds of pounds weekly.
For Zoe Hodgson, a mother of two in Cardiff, the scarcity of holiday club options makes summer breaks particularly challenging. Her son Theo, four years old, misses out on social interactions due to his condition. Zoe is waiting for Theo’s official autism diagnosis, a process she describes as lengthy with extended assessment wait times.
Zoe paid £150 for Theo to attend a school holiday club but was devastated when staff turned him away upon learning he was not yet toilet trained and required pull-up nappies. This unexpected rejection left Zoe in tears, as she grapples with the reality of limited support and the financial strain it imposes on her family.
Similarly, Kathryn Mulroy, a 37-year-old parent in West Yorkshire, had to leave her job to care for her three children, two of whom have additional needs. The absence of suitable holiday club options for her children with disabilities has significantly impacted Kathryn’s ability to work and have respite during school breaks.
Sense’s recent study highlights the widespread struggle parents face in finding accessible holiday clubs for disabled children, leading to financial hardships and challenges in maintaining employment. The organization emphasizes the importance of seeking social care support assessments for disabled children, including funding for holiday clubs and childcare.
In response, the Department of Education mentions investing in the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) program to provide healthy meals and engaging activities during the summer. The initiative aims to include children with SEND and offers discounts and free bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 as part of the Great British Summer Saving scheme.
The call for improved support and access to inclusive holiday clubs for disabled children underscores the need for more comprehensive and equitable services nationwide.
