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News: Research reveals young people's support for extending free school meals and reducing stigma

Posted 7 March, 2023 by Nina Joynson

Food food insecurity SYP UNCRC young people

New Scotland-wide research shows that 76% of young people would eat more lunches at school if free provision was extended to all pupils.

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) has published findings from a nationwide survey in the Young People's Right to Food report.

In late 2022, SYP asked young people about their access to food and improvements they think could be made to uphold their right to food.

The project received 846 online responses from people aged 12-26, from 26 local authorities in Scotland.

The results highlight experiences around access to food at home and in school, and stigma associated with asking for help.

Encouraging school lunches

86% of young people thought that extending free school meals was crucial to upholding their right to food, and 76% said that they would be more likely to eat lunch at school if free meals were provided.

Additionally, 70% said that a better eating environment and/or involving young people in decision-making about school meals would make them more likely to eat lunch at school.

Stigma around asking for help 

Nearly half of respondents (47%) believe that there is a stigma associated with needing support to access food.

Young people came up with a number of suggestions on how this stigma could be reduced, such as using more inclusive, non-targeted language and challenging wider structural barriers.

Ensuring that people know where they can get help to access food was also suggested, an issue highlighted by the report's finding that only 40% were aware of the support available in their community.

Normalising conversations about food struggles was also highlighted as important. On the lack of conversations around food insecurity, one young person commented:

"If you're well-off, which I am (relative to where I live anyways), when I think about food banks, I think about helping out, volunteering. I don't think about what it's like to actually be someone requiring that help, or someone that needs to think about asking for it because they're struggling."

The report makes five recommendations on how to improve and uphold young people’s access and right to food in Scotland, as voiced by young people:

  1. Free school meal provision should be extended to all secondary school pupils
  2. Young people should be meaningfully involved in decision-making about the content and quality of school meals and in making improvements to the eating environment
  3. Greater efforts must be made to eliminate the stigma associated with asking for help to access food
  4. Local government must raise awareness among young people about local programmes that support food access
  5. Scottish Government must bring the UNCRC Incorporation Bill back to Parliament.

Click here to read more about SYP's Right to Food report

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A red shopping basket full of bread, fruit and bottles, being held by a person wearing a white shirt.

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News: New research explores the costs of a choice-led, nutritious family shop

Posted 18 January, 2023 by Nina Joynson

Families Food food insecurity free school meals Health nutrition Scottish Child Payment

Research exploring what families would choose to eat if income was sufficient shows the inaccessibility of a healthy, choice-led food shop, with the politics of the school canteen adding to the cost.

Going shopping

Nourish Scotland worked with public health experts, academics, Scottish Government representatives and people with family experience to create shopping lists that reflect the realities and aspirations families in Scotland have for their food.

Starting research in 2020, four case study families were identified and community advisors collaborated to define an ideal weekly shop for each, considering lifestyle and nutrition.

Two distinct case study families were defined: large families of two adults and three children aged 7-15, and small families of a single mother and two children aged 2-5.

Cost of eating 

After the shopping lists were created, researchers monitored their costs quarterly.

In December 2022, the large families' weekly spend would average at £235.75, while small families would spend £108.90, in order to have what is considered a realistic and healthy diet.

The cost-of-living crisis added £106.81 to the large families' monthly cost, against what they would have paid in December 2021.

From this, researchers concluded that it would be difficult for any of the case study families to afford the shopping lists, showing that aspirations for what should be affordable is not matched by sufficient income.

Food stigma at school 

One of the primary questions on the shopping list relates to school lunches. The advisory groups recognised that school meals become a contentious issue as children grow older and their eating preferences change.

It was also recognised that eating environments also become more important and stigmatised, such as circumstances where children with packed lunches eat separately to those with school meals.

Arguments begin in primary school and mount to "tremendous pressure" in secondary school, where young people want to join their friends in eating out, to socialise and avoid stigmatisation.

Therefore, the advisors recommend any ideal family budget needs to accommodate for both packed lunches and out-of-school options.

Government support

While the ideal food shop is currently unaffordable to many households, the research reveals that policies such as universal school meals provision and the Scottish Child Payment can make a real difference.

Under December 2022 eligibility, the Scottish Child Payment would cover 46% of the small families' and 32% of the large families' ideal weekly shopping list.

Click here to learn more about the Our Right to Food project

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News: Government urged to take more action to address rising food insecurity

Posted 25 November, 2022 by Jennifer Drummond

cost of living Education Food food insecurity Poverty

A coalition of charities has written to the Scottish Government to highlight the devastating impact of poverty and hunger

The open letter, penned by Includem, Magic Breakfast Scotland and the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland highlights the impact of food insecurity on Scotland’s communities. It calls on the government to commit to financial support for families on low income, ensure everyone has access to nutritious meals and create spaces where communities can cook and eat together.

Published yesterday (Thursday 24 November), the letter welcomes the Government’s doubling of the Scottish Child Payment Bridging Payment, the ambition to end the requirement for food banks and recent action from some local authorities to clear school meal debts. However, it also highlights concern over the slow progress to deliver free school meals for all Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils and the lack of action on breakfast provision in schools.

It states:

“The cost crisis is soaring and economists warn of a looming UK-wide recession. From parents and carers skipping meals to prioritise their families. From children and young people being too hungry to learn. From members of our communities not knowing if they can afford their next meal. The Scottish Government must do everything in its power to prevent families from going deeper into crisis”.

They are calling for:

  • A commitment to the Scottish Child Payment retaining its soon to be £25 per week value in real terms next year
  • Work with Local Authorities to wipe out school meal debt
  • A clear commitment and actionable plan for the national roll out of school breakfast provision
  • Acceleration of the roll out of universal free school meals in primary schools and piloting in secondary schools
  • Supporting access to spaces where communities can create and eat together regularly.

Signatories of the letter include The Trussell Trust, Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Social Work Scotland, Star Project and Families Outside.

Click here to read the letter in full

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Good Food Nation consultation response: right to food 'must be incorporated into Scots law'

20 December 2021

Children in Scotland has responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Good Food Nation Bill, calling for the right to food to be incorporated into Scots law.

The Bill proposes new legislation covering ‘the interconnected mechanisms of how food is produced, harvested, processed, distributed, sold, marketed, consumed and wasted’.

In our response we make clear our fundamental belief that all children, young people and families have the right to food, a right which extends to food that is adequate in terms of nutrition, safety and cultural appropriateness.

Amy Woodhouse, Head of Policy, Projects and Participation, said:

"In our response to the Proposed Right to Food (Scotland) Bill of September 2020, we asserted that incorporating a right to food would give children, young people and families a necessary mechanism for redress if they are facing food insecurity.

"We see this as a key measure of accountability for ensuring that the Scottish Government meets its obligation to provide all children, young people and families with access to healthy, affordable food and drink.

"A right to food is about more than food insecurity – it is about taking a whole-systems approach to tackling challenges such as poverty, diet-related illness and climate change.

"It has an opportunity to play a transformative role in supporting children, young people and families who most struggle to access food."

Within our consultation response, we also call for the Good Food Nation Bill to make a direct reference to the incoming new multi-treaty Human Rights Bill.

We understand that this is being committed to as part of the National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership's new framework for human rights for Scotland.

The Human Rights Bill includes the incorporation of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). This encompasses a right to adequate food as an essential part of the overall right to an adequate standard of living.

Nourish Scotland's Senior Projects Officer Stephanie Mander writes about the Good Food Nation Bill proposals in the first edition of Insight, our new members' publication.

In her article Stephanie calls for the Bill to include:

  • clear policy targets
  • meaningful engagement with young people, and
  • transparency on the tools for holding Ministers or public bodies to account with regard to the legislation.

Click here to read our consultation response in full

For more information about Insight and how you can become a member of Children in Scotland, click here to read the news story on the publication launch.

For more information about International School Meals Day, which is managed by Children in Scotland, click here to visit the home page.

 

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‘Lessons for a new social settlement’ – publication of reports mark end of innovative five-year food project

9 June 2020

Children in Scotland has marked the completion of its long-running Food, Families, Futures (FFF) project with the publication of two reports evidencing the success and impact of the partnership.

FFF was developed by the charity in 2015 to address a major  social issue: food insecurity and its links with wellbeing and education.

Working with families, communities and businesses, FFF supported after-school and holiday provision projects across Scotland, including in Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Perth and Kinross, East Lothian, Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire.

Holiday clubs focused on the value of fun activities, eating together and community strength and since 2016, FFF has helped to drive the issues of food insecurity – and how local and national governments should respond ­– up the political agenda.

The reports are intended to provide legacy learning and evidence about FFF, giving an honest view of its successes and challenges, and practical insights for any community or organisation wanting to take forward similar work in future.

Relationships and renewal

Freelance writer and consultant Shelagh Young has produced Nourish to flourish - food, fun and family learning, an independent review and analysis of the project.

Click here to read the report

In the report, Shelagh praises FFF partners for harnessing “local energy and support… to kickstart kindness” and argues that their work “shows how to build stronger relationships and achieve valuable learning through making and sharing tasty, nutritious meals together”.

FFF is also highly relevant in the context of our ambitions for renewal following the pandemic. “Sustaining an exciting and effective family and community-led way of working so that it becomes the new social settlement will become one of Scotland’s greatest challenges,” Shelagh says.

The second report, aimed at strategic leadership, is Food, Families, Futures: Making positive change happen alongside families is by Children in Scotland’s Policy Manager (Participation & Engagement), Elaine Kerridge.

Click here to read the report

As well as highlighting the practice-based knowledge built up over four years working on the project, Elaine emphasizes core principles that have been vital to FFF, particularly participation. inclusion and a non-stigmatising, relationship-based approach to poverty.

“Within communities, establishing a trusting relationship is the essential starting point,” Elaine says. “As one Strategic Lead told us: ‘It needs to come from the families.’”

Carrying forward core principles

Children in Scotland CEO Jackie Brock said:

“These two completion reports held contribute to a powerful legacy of learning from the FFF project which we hope others will be able to take forward. We believe that the process of post-virus renewal for schools, communities and families can be informed by some the core principles of FFF which Shelagh and Elaine capture so well in their reports.

“Children in Scotland’s own learning, from policy development to communications, has been hugely strengthened by our experience of leading FFF, and we will be using that knowledge in our ongoing influencing work.

“The early response to the pandemic sees a growing consensus on why direct payments are the answer to families struggling with food insecurity, and how schools and community buildings can be used in a more imaginative, flexible and accessible way.

“There is also important learning about the false division between school and holidays, and how this could be broken down to build relationships and transform schools into through-the-year community assets.

“Most of all, there is learning for all of us about how any kind of project that seeks to address inequality or social justice at community level must be done with families not to them.

“I’d like to thank all our partners who’ve supported this project over the past five years – businesses, third sector groups, funders, local authorities, and most importantly the children and families who have been at the heart of FFF.”

Challenging food insecurity

Our five-year food partnership programme addressed a major societal issue

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Food, fun and family learning

Shelagh Young's independent review of FFF looks at the project's impact and successes

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Report author Shelagh Young

Shelagh is a freelance writer and consultant

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Positive change alongside families

Elaine Kerridge's report is aimed at strategic leads and captures key FFF learning

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Report author Elaine Kerridge

Our Policy Manager Elaine has also written a blog about her learning from the project

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2017 summer clubs

Children and families tell us what they like about the FFF experience in this short film

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From Drumchapel macaroni to white bread myths: what I’ve learned from four years of Food, Families, Futures

9 June 2020

Elaine Kerridge on how our food project has deepened her understanding of inequality – and the impact the clubs have had on health, relationships and sense of community

I have been involved in our award-winning Food, Families, Futures project since 2016 and I am pleased to say that part of my role has been to help support the evaluation of the Food, Families Futures clubs and hear from children and families. I have been lucky enough to travel across Scotland and see the clubs in action.

I have danced in Tranent, made floral artwork in Methil and played Human Hungry Hippos in Clydebank – apologies again to my colleague Jane for grazing her arm in the pursuit of the win!

I have made macaroni cheese in Drumchapel, 'fakeaways' in Prestonpans and tuna pasta bake in Blairgowrie. (Who knew cornflakes could be used for anything other than in a bowl of cereal or in a chocolate crispie cake?)

So what have I learned?  What is my takeaway (pardon the pun) as this project draws to a close?

For Jamie Oliver it was turkey twizzlers. For me it was the ubiquitous white bread cheese sandwich. We make assumptions about other people's lives, including in this context what children will eat.

Over the past few years I have often heard 'Children will only eat white bread'. But our Food, Families, Futures clubs have shown this is not true; it is an unfounded fear. Children who have attended the clubs tell us 'I tried new things like tuna pasta' and 'I love fruit!'.

The opportunity to develop the activities and menus together, then cook and eat together, means everyone is engaged, people develop life skills, try new food and waste is reduced. Practitioners recognise 'The kids eat things they don't usually if they see someone else doing it' and parents tell us 'They are quite fussy but they have eaten wraps, sandwiches and soup'.

Certainly my understanding of the poverty-related issues many families living in Scotland face has increased. As has my understanding of the stigma attached to these issues and the further negative impact this can have on children and families.

Too often we hear about 'poor families', coupled with stock images of shoeless children. This is, at best, unhelpful and shows a complete lack of understanding of the experience of families across Scotland.

I have also learned a lot about food and the complexities of inequalities related to it. It seems accessing healthy and affordable food is indeed a postcode lottery.

The current Covid-19 situation has taught us many things, not least the importance of that very human experience that supports our health and wellbeing in so many ways – the opportunity to share food and quality time together.

Children, families and practitioners have told me the positive impact the Food, Families, Futures clubs have on health and wellbeing, relationships and a sense of community because 'It brings the community together'.

I look forward to a time when Sustainable Development Goal Number 2 - Zero Hunger is realised: 'End hunger, achieve food security and adequate nutrition for all' so all children in Scotland have an equal chance to flourish.

Our commitment to participation

Elaine is Policy Manager and part of our participation and engagement team

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Positive change alongside families

Elaine has written a practical report for strategic leads capturing key FFF learning

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Challenging food insecurity

Our five-year food partnership programme addressed a major societal issue

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Food, fun and family learning

Shelagh Young's independent review of FFF looks at the project's impact and successes

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Participation guidelines

Our publication can help put children's voices at the heart of your participation work

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20,000+ summer club places for children and families as food project expands

From today (Monday 2 July 2018) children across Scotland will again be participating in Children in Scotland’s award-winning food partnership programme, Food, Families, Futures (FFF).

Now in its third year, FFF is run in partnership with food distribution company Brakes’ Meals & More programme, offering children and families the opportunity to enjoy meals and fun activities in schools over the summer holidays.

Across the participating areas, there will be a total of 20,300 places available during July and August – a significant increase on the 4,000 places offered in the summer of 2017.

The programme has expanded from two local authority areas in 2017 (Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire) to four and this year will cover schools in Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Perth and Kinross and East Lothian.

Jackie Bock, Chief Executive of Children in Scotland, said:

“We are incredibly proud to see the expansion of the Food, Families, Futures partnership. We know the summer holidays can be a time of pressure for many families, but FFF highlights the strengths in our communities and our ability to collaborate, offer support and solve problems together.

“Thanks to Meals & More and the local councils involved this year, FFF is opening up schools so that even more families can access quality food and fantastic activities during the long summer break.”

Pem Hulusi, Programme Manager for Brakes’ Meals & More programme added:

“With Children in Scotland, we’re delighted to be supporting the FFF clubs in their third year. The great work in Scotland represents our wider commitment to retaining and strengthening all our Meals & More partnerships across the UK.

“Our long-term ambition is to increase the capacity within these clubs to reach more children, support families and communities in need, and continue the fight against child poverty.”

The Food, Families, Futures programme was launched by Children in Scotland in 2015, with the aim of contributing to tackling food poverty and its link to children’s health, wellbeing and education.

Aware of the pressures on families, particularly those on low income and in areas experiencing high levels of child poverty, FFF turns schools into community hubs during the summer months.

Parents are guided on how to prepare fresh, healthy meals under the direction of qualified community chefs, while children enjoy activities ranging from sport and play to arts and crafts. Families have the opportunity to cook and eat together as part of the experience.

Sessions range from part-day to full day, with clubs running from between five and 25 days over the summer holiday period.

Participating schools and catchment areas for summer 2018 are as follows:

  • Glasgow: Ibrox, Dalmarnock, High Park and Easterhouse
  • West Dunbartonshire: Dumbarton High School, Clydebank High School, Vale of Leven High School
  • Perth and Kinross: Letham Primary School, Alyth Primary School
  • East Lothian: Fa’side Lunch Club (Tranent), PSH Lunch Club (Prestonpans).

More information on local partnerships and the sessions being delivered in each area is available on request.

Partnership activities across the summer form part of Children in Scotland’s wider FFF programme of work.

For more information, including a summary of activity in 2017, a helpful Handbook and a short film, visit: https://childreninscotland.org.uk/food-families-futures/

(ends)

Media contacts: 

Chris Small, Communications and Marketing Manager, Children in Scotland – csmall@childreninscotland.org.uk / 0131 313 8824

Jennifer Drummond, Communications Officer, Children in Scotland – jdrummond@childreninscotland.org.uk / 0131 313 8823

Notes for Editors

  • Food, Families, Futures was awarded the Third Sector Partnership Award at the Scottish Public Service Awards 2017 and the Herald Society’s Partnership Award.
  • Food, Families, Futures is a partnership between Brakes’ Meals & More programme, Children in Scotland, local authorities and local organisations and community groups in participating authorities.
  • Read more about Brakes’ Meals & More programme here.
  • About Children in Scotland:

Giving all children in Scotland an equal chance to flourish is at the heart of everything we do.

By bringing together a network of people working with and for children, alongside children and young people themselves, we offer a broad, balanced and independent voice. We create solutions, provide support and develop positive change across all areas affecting children in Scotland.

We do this by listening, gathering evidence, and applying and sharing our learning, while always working to uphold children’s rights. Our range of knowledge and expertise means we can provide trusted support on issues as diverse as the people we work with and the varied lives of children and families in Scotland.

www.childreninscotland.org.uk

 

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Food partnership triumphs in public service awards

5 December 2017

Last night Children in Scotland and its partners won a Scottish Public Service Award for Food, Families, Futures, our programme of work challenging food poverty.

We won the Third Sector Partnership Award, in recognition of FFF’s contribution to building strong partnerships that have supported families affected by poverty across Glasgow.

Chief Executive Jackie Brock said:

“This award is testament to the incredible energy and dedication of our partners - Glasgow City and West Dunbartonshire Councils, PEEK, Dalmarnock Primary, and many other schools and individuals - who have taken part in FFF and made such a difference to children over the past year.”

“It shows what can happen when diverse organisations come together to deliver meaningful support for families and communities facing real challenges.”

FFF, which ran for a second summer earlier this year, was created in response to schools telling Children in Scotland that many families in their communities faced difficulties during the summer holidays when free school meal entitlement is paused.

Ms Brock collected the award at the Scottish Parliament alongside PEEK’s Michaela Collins and Nancy Clunie, headteacher of Dalmarnock Primary.

Organised by Holyrood Magazine and supported by the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Public Service Awards celebrate excellence in Scotland’s public services.

The award is the second accolade for the FFF partnership. On 1 November Dalmarnock Primary won the Herald Society’s Partnership Award in recognition of its success offering meals and fun activities for local families as part of the programme.

Working with food distribution company Brakes through its Meals & More programme, and local partners, FFF helped to turn schools into community hubs over the summer holidays, offering healthy food, a free lunch and fun activities over the long summer break.

In 2017, the summer clubs ran in 26 schools across Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire.

FFF is also delivered in North Ayrshire and Perth and Kinross.

Read more about the Scottish Public Service Awards

Read more about Food Families Futures

Food, Families, Futures on film

Watch a short film about the 2017 summer clubs in Glasgow

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Family voices ‘should shape policy' on food, learning and holidays

In a letter published in the Herald newspaper today, our Chief Executive Jackie Brock responded to a call by the Scottish Conservatives that schools should stay open as “community hubs” during the summer holidays, drawing on Children in Scotland’s learning from our Food, Families, Futures partnership project.

This is an edited extract from her letter:

The Scottish Conservatives’ proposal to keep schools open as “community hubs” throughout the summer raises further questions in an already complex policy debate about the best ways of challenging poverty’s impact on education and health.

Children in Scotland’s FFF project was sparked by headteachers telling us about children and parents in their communities potentially going hungry, missing out on meals because they simply couldn't afford food. This was exacerbated in holiday periods when the schools’ free meal provision ended. They were also worried about the children not getting the chance to have a holiday.

Our experience of the project thus far tells us that, when large-scale business (for example, food distribution company Brakes) and small-scale community organisations take action together to fight these problems, it can have a transformational effect. Families have reported to us their enjoyment of learning more about making food, taking part in activities, and simply being together. But this success has been down to a highly localised approach, where families lead the experience, and partner organisations operate from a deep understanding of each community’s differing characteristics and needs.

At the other end of the spectrum are more macro policy solutions. A Westminster Bill being proposed by Frank Field MP would, if enacted, mandate local authorities in England to facilitate delivery of programmes providing free meals and activities for children during school holidays. There may be pressure for equivalent legislation here.

We think a balance should be struck between learning from a bespoke community-level support and a ‘top down’ national approach that, while well-intentioned, might lose sight of important local realities.

For any policy approach to be effective, it must be sensitive to a multitude of issues. We need to respect school staff’s rights to holidays, and the rights of families not to be bound to their local school outside of term time. We should be wary of thinking that suggests keeping schools open through the summer is a catch-all solution to Scotland’s attainment problem. And we need to be mindful of labeling families as ‘poor’ and communities as ‘deprived’ in a way that doesn’t help them and doesn’t reflect the vitality and fun we saw in Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire over the past two months.

FFF is currently being evaluated by academics at Northumbria University who are looking at whether it has contributed to mitigating learning loss. In developing a policy approach that works we need to be drawing on evidence of this kind ‘in the round’, alongside clear-eyed testimony from children and families about what works for them. They deserve our support and their voices need to be heard as we keep this vital issue on the national agenda.

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Food, Families, Futures project sees summer take-up rise to almost 4,000

14 August 2017

Almost 4,000 places were taken up by children, parents and guardians attending school and community clubs as part of Children in Scotland’s Food, Families, Futures (FFF) project during the summer holidays.

FFF was launched last year after schools told Children in Scotland that many families in their communities were facing difficulties during the holiday periods when free school meal entitlement ends.

Working with food distribution company Brakes through its Meals & More programme alongside local councils and partner organisations, FFF was established to ensure families can be together, prepare healthy food, eat a free lunch, and take part in fun activities using schools as community hubs over the summer holiday period.

This summer the clubs ran in 26 schools across Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire from Wednesday 28 June – Friday 11 August.

The number of places taken up represents a significant increase and expansion of the project. Successful FFF pilots ran last summer at Ibrox and Dalmarnock Primaries, when a total of 140 children registered to attend the clubs.

Councillor Chris Cunningham, Glasgow City Convener for Education, Skills & Early Years said: “Another success for this very important project and I want to congratulate and say thank you to everyone who has been involved again this year.

“Glasgow is very proud to be a partner and we will continue to do all that we can to help, support and align services to families across the city. I have enjoyed following all the tweets from schools and partners across the city – the activities have been wide-ranging and looked such fun for all involved.”

Children in Scotland’s Chief Executive Jackie Brock said: “We are delighted by the impact FFF has made over the summer. But we are also aware that the demand for places highlights the real problems many families continue to face – and the urgent need for support and outreach to be strengthened.
“Partners groups such as PEEK and the Jeely Piece Club supported the clubs in each local area and were fundamental to the project’s success.”

“I want to thank them, our partner Brakes, Glasgow City Council, and the participating schools, but most particularly the families who took part in FFF. We hope that the project made a difference to them over the summer.”

FFF ensured that parents can be directly involved in preparing and cooking healthy meals, supported by community chefs attached to the schools.

Pem Hulusi, Brakes’ Meals & More Programme Manager, said: “We're proud to support children's wellbeing with our Meals & More programme, even as we highlight the needs of those without free school meals in the holidays. In visiting the clubs this summer, it was fantastic to see the difference compared to last year with the increase in provision.

“Seeing the kitchens packed with chefs from the communities, serving delicious meals for families, was a real highlight. It is terrible that there are families in the UK suffering from food poverty, but they do – and we're proud to work with Children in Scotland to tackle this issue."

Academic evaluation of summer holiday clubs across the UK, including those run under the FFF banner, is currently being led by Professor Greta Defeyter, Director of Healthy Living at Northumbria University.

Professor Defeyter said: “Research from Northumbria University has shown that holiday clubs afford a number of benefits to families and children. For example, holiday clubs help to reduce social isolation, provide a structure for family engagement in physical and social activities, provide free, healthy food, and bring communities together.
“We know that many children suffer from educational learning loss across the summer and we are currently investigating whether holiday clubs help to attenuate this loss."

The number of places has been calculated by multiplying the number of children attending each setting on each day across all projects, from 28 June to 11 August. The figure is an estimate based on information supplied to Children in Scotland by schools who took part.

Media contact

Chris Small

csmall@childreninscotland.org.uk

Notes for Editors

Children in Scotland is the collective voice for children, young people and families in Scotland, and organisations and businesses that have a significant impact on children’s lives in Scotland. It is an influencing and membership organisation, comprised of representatives from the voluntary, public and private sectors.

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