POORER parents can send their kids to holiday camps next year to ease childcare and food costs thanks to a government cash boost.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan today announces £200million funding for clubs outside term time to support low-income families.
2
2
Under the scheme local authorities put on activities like football and cooking for disadvantaged pupils and give them a free meal.
Fresh stats show 600,000 children from reception to Year 11 used the programme this summer at more than 8,000 clubs.
Parents feared Jeremy Hunt’s spending squeeze could force Ministers to cut back on the scheme.
But at the Autumn Statement, Education was one of the few departments to get a lift, taking a £2billion increase.
Ms Keegan said: “Giving children access to nutritious meals and fun, enriching activities over the holidays supports children’s mental, physical and social development and offers them opportunities that they may otherwise not have, whilst helping parents who may not be able to afford similar childcare.”
