Challenges and learning
Overall focus
Rotherham’s Healthy Holiday Programme continues to be successful; however, we are continuing to strengthen the programme to meet the needs of children, families and communities. We take on board learning from each delivery and reflect on what is working well and areas we can develop further.
There have been four areas of particular focus in the 25-26 year.
- Increasing provision and attendance of secondary age children and young people
- encouraging new providers to deliver HAF camps
- engaging new families
- Increasing provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Engaging new families with the programme
Data and feedback provided by children and families shows that children are enjoying the holiday camps and come back each programme, evidencing how valued the programme is by children and families.
What did we do?
Worked with Early Help, Social Care and other services to promote the programme, enabling these services to suport more children and families access the programme.
Worked with providers to link them with neighbouring schools ,improving communication, and supporting the engagement of new and existing children and families.
Provided drop-in sessions with community services to promote the programmes and support families to book on to holiday camps.
We continue to work closely with Rotherham's communities to identify new ways we can reach eligible children making the valuable opportunity more accessible.
Offer a programme of varied activities
We want to ensure that children have a variety of activities available to them to suit every child's enjoyment. In response to the feedback from the children attending the Healthy Holidays Programme we worked on offering activities the children would like to experience.
In 2025 to 2026 includes:
- Football
- Boxing
- Junior Gym sessions
- Swimming
- BMX Cycling
- Parkour
- Rugby
- Multi - sports
- Dance
- Drama
- Yoga
- Arts and Craft
- Media Making
- STEM Activities ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics )
- Sensory Activities
- First Aid learning
- Activities at Crowden
- Trips to Gullivers Kingdom
The feedback from the children and young people throughout 2025-26 Healthy Holidays Rotherham Programme shows the positive impact and joy these activities provide by allowing the children and young people to learn new skills and try something they may not normally have the opportunity to engage in. We will continue to offer a variety of enriching activities for future programmes.
