Cost of the School Holidays report

Date: 6th January 2016
Category: Family Environment and Alternative Care, Child poverty, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

The Cost of the School Holidays study was designed to inform a Glasgow Life feasibility study exploring ways in which holiday provision could better meet the needs of families living in poverty and ensure uptake by children and young people from low income households.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) highlight that while many children eagerly anticipate the school holidays, families on low incomes face additional financial pressures over the holiday period and can find it challenging to occupy children on a tight budget and source appropriate childcare when working.

Cost of the School Holidays worked with parents and children living in Glasgow to answer the following questions:

1. What are the school holidays like for low-income families in Glasgow?
2. To what extent does existing holiday provision meet the needs of low-income families?
3. How can holiday service providers best meet the needs of low-income families?

The report highlights the value of existing holiday provision in Glasgow but makes a series of recommendations from parents, including:

- using dormant school facilities to provide holiday activities
- providing free, healthy lunches within existing holiday activities
- addressing barriers to participation caused by block-booking, advance payment and face-to-face booking requirements
- reducing transport costs through provision of holiday travel passes
- ensuring holiday activities fit with working hours