The largest study of school holiday clubs in England has
found that as well as helping to combat childhood hunger, holiday clubs provide
a number of social and health benefits including providing children a safe
place to play.
The extensive findings of the study were released today
(Wednesday 30 May) at a special event at the Discovery Museum, Newcastle upon
Tyne.
The A Day Out, Not a
Handout project was established by the North East Child Poverty Trust, and
delivered by Children North East, in response to the impact of ‘holiday hunger’
as a key issue for struggling families in the North East. The Trust was keen to
develop and test a programme of holiday clubs that would address the
nutritional and wellbeing needs of children in a coordinated and consistent
manner.
Academics from Northumbria University’s Healthy Living Lab were enlisted to undertake a major evaluation of the holiday clubs to explore
the potential relationship between club provision and children’s health,
nutrition and wellbeing, as well as the impact clubs had on parents.
Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, through the Big Lottery Fund, 17 holiday clubs were established in four different areas of the
North East. They provided over 600 children with more than 3,000 breakfasts, 7,000
lunches and a varied and stimulating programme of activities during the summer
2017 holidays.
More than 600 children aged between 5-14 engaged in
activities including growing and cooking foods, arts and crafts, sports and
games, storytelling and day trips to beaches and cultural areas, such as
National Trust sites.
A total of 133 parents participated in a mix of interviews
and surveys to share their experiences. The researchers found that holiday
clubs helped in alleviating parental stress and improved overall parental
health and wellbeing. In addition, parents highlighted how clubs provided their
children with safe places to play, opportunities to learn new skills, and to
engage in a range of new experiences.
A Day Out, Not A Hand Out from Northumbria University on Vimeo.
Professor Greta Defeyter, Director of Northumbria
University’s Healthy Living Lab, said: “We have extensive expertise in
researching the impact of holiday clubs on children’s hunger, social
relationships and educational attainment, as well as the impact on families and
wider communities. However, this study – which is the largest ever to be
conducted in England – has produced some notable findings.
“Our findings suggest that holiday club provision offers the
potential to have a far wider impact than previously evidenced on children’s
health, wellbeing and education.
“Importantly, we collected robust quantitative data that
enabled the researchers to conduct statistical testing.
“The Northumbria University team found that children’s diets
significantly improved on the days the children attended holiday clubs,
compared to the days they didn’t attend. They consumed more core foods such as
protein, dairy, grains and cereals, as well as fruits and vegetables. They
drank fewer sweetened drinks and drank water more frequently.
“The holiday clubs encouraged children to have new
experiences with food, providing them with opportunities to cook and grow fruit
and vegetables. The children reported that they enjoyed trying new foods that
they had not previously eaten and that they had gained knowledge in food and
nutrition. Parents reported that this transferred to their home environments,
with their children wanting to help prepare and cook family meals.
“The consistent theme of ‘safety’ reported by children,
parents and staff was quite remarkable and something not previously reported.
“Our findings revealed that activities provided at clubs are
one of the most highly valued aspects of this provision, both by children and
parents. The parental data provide clear insight into difficulties parents
often face during the holidays including difficulties in finding and paying for
childcare, and general cuts in child and youth services in local communities.”
The children engaged more frequently in physical activity
and reported that they enjoyed exercise more on the days they attended the
clubs. This was accompanied by a decrease in the amount of time that they spent
playing video games on computers, games consoles, phones and other devices.
Children stated that they enjoyed attending holiday club because they participated
in a variety of activities that they did not normally have access to during the
summer holidays.
Professor Defeyter added: “This project was extremely
successful. The project engaged a significant number of children, provided
healthy food compliant with School Food Standards, increased children’s
participation in physical activities and improved parental wellbeing. There was
also clear evidence of children’s learning transferring into their home
environment. Importantly, the clubs provided parents with the peace of mind
that their children were in a safe environment and not unsupervised or on the
streets where they could become targets of abuse or violence.”
Mike Worthington, Chair of the North East Child Poverty
Trust, said: “The success of the project was very much due to its collaborative
nature. The diversity of different organisations working together was a
powerful force. The findings of the research are equally powerful. Because of
this, we hope that this will not just be a one-off project, but the beginning
of something big.”
Jeremy Cripps, CEO at Children North East, said: “Children
North East was delighted to coordinate this major project with our partners,
which has demonstrated the importance of good food and stimulating activities
for children whose parents are suffering financial hardship during the long
summer holidays.”
Northumbria’s Healthy Living Lab is already renowned for its
research into childhood hunger. Research from the centre has helped to evidence
the need for school breakfast clubs and free school meals to alleviate hunger
and improve educational attainment. They have found that in some cases, parents
are left with no option but to skip meals and rely on cheap, processed food to
ensure their children have enough to eat during the holidays.
Experts from the centre have been called upon to present
their findings to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger, which is looking
into the extent of hunger amongst children during the school holidays.
Holiday clubs research findings from Northumbria University on Vimeo.
