Why school holidays are not equal for every child
For many children and their families, the school holidays are full of possibility: time together, days out, fresh air, shared experiences and stories to carry back into school. But for many children in Cambridge, those opportunities are not a given.
The barriers aren’t only about money, although the cost of transport, food, entry fees and activities are often impossible to stretch to.
Families may also be dealing with isolation, mental health challenges, low confidence, limited support networks, or worries about how a child’s additional needs will be understood in busy public spaces. For some parents, the fear of being judged if things become difficult can be enough to keep the whole family at home.
That is why The Red Hen Project’s School’s Out programme matters. It is not simply a list of activities. It is a supported, trusted and carefully planned programme, delivered by experienced staff who understand the families, the children and the barriers they face. Because Red Hen has built strong relationships and a trusted local reputation over many years, families who may be least likely to access open activities feel able to come along, join in and enjoy time together. For the families we support, a simple day out can change the feel of the whole school holiday.
How Red Hen helps children access opportunities
This year’s summer programme reached 397 people, including 255 children. Across 732 attendances, families joined local park ‘meet-ups’, football coaching, active games, nature crafts, creative workshops and trips to Milton Country Park, Wicksteed Park and Thetford Forest.
Each activity was co-produced with local families and designed around the barriers they face during the holidays. Support before, during and after each session helped children and their families attend with confidence.
This practical support is what makes participation possible for many families, and it relies on skilled, relationship-based work. Red Hen staff and volunteers help families know what to expect, manage bookings, sort transport, offer reassurance and stay present at activities.
They use their experience to spot when a child is becoming overwhelmed, when a parent needs encouragement, or when a small adjustment could prevent a family from leaving early. For families who may feel anxious, overwhelmed or unsure whether an activity is “for them”, a familiar, trusted face can make all the difference.
Red Hen also attended events run by other partners, including holiday lunches, activity sessions and Abbey People events, helping to encourage children and their families to get involved.
As one parent put it, without Red Hen they would have been “stuck in the house for the six-week holiday.”
Helping children return to school with confidence
The impact goes beyond the day itself. Children get the chance to be active, try new things and return to school with stories to share. This matters because the school holidays widen existing inequalities. Children from lower-income families are less likely to have access to enriching activities, active play and new experiences that help learning continue outside school. By the start of term, that gap can show not only in children’s learning, but also in their confidence and sense of belonging.
The return to school can make this inequality feel very visible. When classmates are talking, drawing or writing about holidays, trips and days out, children who have spent most of the summer at home may have less to share. That can leave children feeling different, left behind or less confident joining in. For a child who might otherwise have spent the summer close to home, being able to talk about a trip, a football session, a nature activity or a day out really matters.
Parents have time to connect with other adults, feel less alone and enjoy positive time with their children. Families build trust, relationships and resilience that continue long after the holidays end.
What difference did this make?
This year, 95% of families reported that family life felt better, and staff saw children and families returning across different holiday periods with growing confidence. Parents began supporting one another, children became more comfortable in group settings, and some children and families who had first needed significant reassurance went on to attend activities more independently.
Children’s own words show what these opportunities mean to them. One child said: “They’ve taken us on amazing trips and helped us make really good memories.” Another child described what being able to join in meant for their family: “We get to go on adventures. My Mum doesn’t drive, so just me and Mum and my sister.”
Parents tell us how much this support matters. One parent said: “If Red Hen didn’t do any of these things, I would have been stuck in the house for the six-week holiday, and the kids really enjoyed going out and meeting with friends, and it was nice for myself to see other mums to chat to.” Another explained: “I have really enjoyed being able to attend the sessions over the summer. It’s meant me and my family have been able to get out and interact with other families and see a friendly face. I struggle being able to take all the children out, so it really helps to have support while out – and it’s been really fun for the children.”
This is the difference between simply offering an activity and making sure a family feels able to take part.
For some families, that support is what makes a big day out possible at all. One parent, whose eldest child is autistic, said that a trip to Wicksteed Park gave their children the chance to enjoy time together and build positive childhood memories “despite the difficulties we face daily.” Another parent said the same trip was “WAY out of my comfort zone”, but that knowing Red Hen staff were there, and that there would be friendly faces around the park, made the experience possible and meant “so much” to their family.
A special guardian caring for three children described Red Hen as “invaluable”, saying that free, local activities helped the children begin to integrate into a new community and build the foundations for feeling happier and more settled after a difficult start in life.
The School’s Out programme is about more than keeping children busy. It reduces barriers to holiday opportunities, creates routes into community life and helps children return to school feeling more confident, connected and ready to learn.
With continued support from funders and partners, The Red Hen Project can keep creating holidays that feel calmer, more connected and more possible for children and their families across Cambridge.
How you can help create fairer holidays
These challenges are local, visible and solvable. By supporting Red Hen, you or your organisation can help children in Cambridge access the kinds of experiences that build confidence, connection and readiness for school. Your support can help cover transport, food, activity costs and the skilled staff time that turns an activity into something families can genuinely access, enjoy and return to with confidence.
Parts of this year’s programme have been made possible through support from S2 Partnership, through funding from Cambridgeshire Community Foundation and Cambridge City Council. But this critical support can only continue with ongoing funding from people and organisations who understand how much it matters.
Whether through a one-off gift, regular giving, or support from a local business or organisation, you can become part of the wider Red Hen family, standing alongside children and families so they can access opportunities they might otherwise miss.
If you or your organisation can help us create fairer school holidays for more children across Cambridge, we would love to hear from you at [email protected].
