Holiday clubs and childcare for children with additional needs
4 mins read
Monday 28 July 2025
We are now into the second week of the summer holidays in England and Wales, and the last remaining weeks of the summer holidays in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Lots of parents have been sharing their experiences of the difficulties finding suitable holiday clubs and childcare during the holidays for children who have a disability or additional need.
Turned away
Anna Bird, Chief Executive at Contact, said: “Although holiday clubs are meant to welcome and include children with additional needs, in practice this often doesn’t happen. Many children and young people with additional needs are turned away because they have personal care needs, or the club can’t provide the 1-1 care they require.
“Families who do find a suitable club with availability, say it’s just for a few hours a day and for two days a week, not 9-5 Monday to Friday which would enable them to work.
“We’ve heard from parents who have had to give up jobs they enjoy, others have had to reduce the hours they work. For disabled children the lack of social contact and routine can lead to increased anxiety and sensory dysregulation. This can increase needs at home and also upon their return to school.”
Last year, as part of our strategy development, Contact asked parents what service they would most like to see and after an accessible education, parents said they would most like access to after school clubs, holiday clubs and community activities.
Give up work or unpaid leave
Ana Chivu from Barnsley has had to give up work for a medical company, to look after her daughter who is non-verbal autistic as there was no care available during the holidays. She spoke to the Daily Mirror about her experience.
Natalie Woods lives in Brighton with her three children. Her 11-year-old son goes to special school and needs 1-1 care. She works full-time as a therapist, but it having to take three weeks unpaid leave as there are not enough suitable holiday clubs available.
She said: “There are only two providers in Brighton that provide 1-1 or 2-1 care, so capacity is extremely limited. I really want my son to be getting together with friends and peers, it’s a social necessity and he has every right to do that. Instead a lot of the time he will be at home with a PA because there is so little available.”
Parent carers take action
Shumi Plastow and Emma Briggs, have set up their own wellbeing groups for parents of children with additional needs in Northamptonshire. Northants SEND Mummas has proved so popular that the friends applied for funding to provide stay and play sessions during the holidays.
Shumi said: “Parents do need to stay, so it is not a substitute for holiday clubs, but we are providing a chance for families to get out the house, socialise with others and have fun. We have organised activities such as silent disco, chocolate making, mini farm visit, bouncy castle and gardening workshop. Something for everyone. Children with additional needs deserve to be able to access stimulating and regulating activities during the school summer holidays. Siblings and dads are also welcome to come.”
Anna Bird added: “We need to prioritise provision of holiday clubs for disabled children. There are some great ideas including special schools taking it in turns to provide care for one or two weeks in the holiday to accommodate local disabled children. In addition, we need to address holiday club and childcare workforce issues, ratios of staff to children and special educational needs training to ensure more disabled children are able to enjoy clubs in the holidays.”
Further information
We have information and tips about planning days out and getting support accessing leisure activities, as well as lots of advice and information about finding suitable childcare.
