Local authority leaders have welcomed the Government’s decision to invest £600m to extend the Holiday Activities and Food programme.
The initiative supports children from lower-income families by providing free meals and enriching activities during school holidays.
Cllr Amanda Hopgood, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, said the programme had been ‘essential’ in supporting vulnerable children.
She added: ‘Councils would not have been able to replace this funding if it was discontinued, which would have impacted on the most vulnerable children in their communities and risked losing experienced staff without adequate time to plan for future provision. Extending the funding provides much-needed certainty and safeguards valuable support and expertise.’
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