Summer camp for FSM DC

[SummerBreeze1980]

In place of the food voucher scheme (which has been provided every Lockdown and school holiday since March 2020) our council are running 'Summer Camps'. FSM DC can attend these clubs for free and as well as activities will get a meal.
The clubs run Mon - Thurs for 4 hours for 4 weeks. They are run by various settings including parks, soft play and schools

I have mixed feelings. The offer of activities will be great for some DC whose parents couldn't normally afford holiday clubs. But of course the DC have to go to the club to get a meal and some parents and DC may not want to be in clubs for 4 weeks. And of course the maximum entitlement is 16 days of meals compared to 35 meals on the voucher scheme. They're also no good for working parents as they are for only 4 hours per day.

Interested in opinions and how this compares to other council's offering. I don't really want this to be about whether free meals should be available in the holidays as that has been done to death!

I think it's something that sounds great if you're a wealthy politician who has little contact with the people who will need this. Yeah, great, ensure that the children get the money spent on them and engage in a safe activity at the same time - win win.

But not for:
People who need to pay bus fare to get there
People who don't want the stigma associated with turning up
Children with disabilities for whom the activities may be entirely unsuitable
Children aged 9(ish) plus, for whom these are likely to be very uncool
Families who have mistrust of authorities
School refusing children
Young carers

I think it would be reasonable to offer for families to swap entitlement so they food vouchers or the club session, but the way they’re suggesting it won’t work at all, for all the reasons already stated. I bet it’ll save them some money though!

FSM were never paid for during the school holidays so I would think this is a bonus. Up to the parents if they take it up, they can choose to or carry on like they have every summer holiday.

I agree with the points made. I'd be interested to see how many families take up places and would place money on it being fewer than actually qualify because of the stigma attached.

It wouldn't necessarily be any help to parents who work or study.

Blimey, this is a popular topic today.

Sounds positive to me, although as with anything I'm sure there are ways it could be improved.

@WetWeekends - I think cost is the obvious reason for the change!

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss - as I explained a voucher system was in place over school holidays since March 2020. This isn't a thread about if there should be provision but about what the provision is.

@Findahouse21 - hadn't even thought of those and of course many of those are the most vulnerable groups.

@lilyofthewasteland - oops didn't see any others! Could you explain the positives as you see them, please? Would be good to see all sides to the argument.