HAF: For parents

The Warwickshire HAF Programme is working with all providers to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. We are always keen to engage new, SEND-specialist providers so please get in touch if you have any suggestions (email hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk). We are also expanding our programme to offer more opportunities to all eligible young people, including those who have a disability or who have Special Educational Needs.

We ask all HAF activity providers to:

• Ensure staff receive SEND training to ensure that they have the skills and understanding necessary to support the children and young people they are working with.
• Speak openly with families during bookings to ensure needs can be accommodated during sessions. If not, adaptations should be made accordingly.
• Provide onboarding materials (e.g. an All About Me document or a pre-session visit) to families as appropriate.
• Invite families to stay for a short period of time on the first day to settle children and young people into the environment.
• Keep meal times, breaks and activities as structured as possible and in the same surroundings.
• Provide families with personalised guidance around menu options, activity options, staffing support options and sources of further signposting.
• Have a quiet space for children and young people to use as needed.

Please speak with providers directly when making bookings to ensure your child’s needs can be met during activities. This includes information on their sensory needs, behaviours, dietary needs, 1-to-1 support status at school and or medical needs. The Warwickshire HAF team dedicate a limited amount of additional funding to meet 1-to-1 support requests from providers made in advance of the holiday period.

SEND Family Experiences

In cases where no listed activities are suitable, Warwickshire HAF also offers funded SEND Family Experiences. These experiences are designed to offer an opportunity for the family to enjoy a day out together, with tickets and food costs funded by the HAF programme. We currently allow a maximum of 2 adults and 5 young people for each experience.

Eligibility for these experiences is as follows:

• The young person must be in receipt of benefits tested Free School Meals
• The young person must have an EHCP (An Education, Health & Care Plan)

If this criterion is met, you will need to apply for these experiences using the form that will go live prior to delivery. More information about when the form will go live for each delivery period will be shared via the FIS Facebook Page & in the FIS newsletter (sign up via Mailchimp).

Examples of previous SEND Family Experiences are:

• Ash End Play Farm
• British Motor Museum
• Cinema tickets (various locations)
• Drayton Manor
• Family Swim Sessions (various locations)
• Red Kangaroo Trampoline Park
• Stratford Butterfly Farm
• Theatre Tickets (various locations)
• Twycross Zoo