Holiday time… is fast approaching or already here!

3 mins read

Thursday 4 July 2024

Tags: special educational needs, leisure, holidays, disabled children, activities, additional needs, summer


School summer holidays have started in Scotland and are on the horizon in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We have updated our holiday web pages recently which include information about early bird sessions, carer passes, leisure discounts and much more.

We recently held a Facebook Q&A for parents looking for help and advice about activities, childcare and holidays during the summer break. Almost 50 parents asked questions during the hour-long session.

The top two questions were:

What accessible activities are there locally?

For families in England a good place to start is to look at your council’s Local Offer.  It will include the support and facilities families can find in their area for children and young people who have special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland most councils have information on their website about playschemes and clubs locally for children with additional needs.

What are the best places to go to for help with funding towards holidays and play schemes?

Many charities can help families with this, ranging from small local charities to large national organisations such as the Family Fund – who often help with holidays. Our Grants webpage has information and tips about searching for a grant, as well as our own downloadable grants list with a summary of grant-giving charities and trusts.

You can also use the online Grants Search tool on our website to search for available grants for holidays and play schemes.

Equipment to help you and your child enjoy being out and about

If you are looking for fantastic products to help you get out about during the holidays our Fledglings shop has everything you could need. Swim wear, ear defenders, changing mats are all available and more.

Looking for something to do?

Here is a list of wheelchair accessible beaches around the UK.

The charity Kids in Museums last week revealed the 18 museums, galleries and heritage sites in the UK shortlisted for an award. They are recognised for being welcoming, fun and accessible venues. Why not try them out this summer?

Best Accessible Museum

  • Cooper Art Gallery Barnsley
  • Streetlife Museum, Hull
  • Wakefield Museum

In the Best Accessible Museum category, the shortlisted venues use innovative ways to welcome families with children who have additional needs, including: exhibitions devoted to sharing stories of deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people, Makaton Monday video features on social media, weekly relaxed openings and sensory materials to support visits.

Best Small Museum

  • Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea
  • Museum of the Order of St John, London
  • National Civil War Centre, Newark
  • Nothe Fort, Weymouth
  • Story Museum, Oxford

Best Medium Museum

  • Discover Children’s Story Centre, London
  • Museum of the Home, London
  • Museum of Making, Derby
  • Turner Contemporary, Margate

Best Large Museum

  • National Galleries Scotland – Modern One, Edinburgh
  • Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
  • Young V&A, London