HAF'ing a Lovely Christmas Programme That's Fun, Engaging And Safe

2025-12-30 11:29

Christmas HAF Programmes: Safeguarding Vulnerable Families Over the Holidays

Holiday provision can be a lifeline in December and early January — but it’s also a period where risk can rise for vulnerable children and families. Christmas HAF programmes can be at the centre of this period for those families and preventing unnecessary harm:

Identifying at-risk children,
Food poverty during holidays,
Domestic abuse risks,
Loneliness and isolation,
Emergency contacts and escalation routes, and
Partnership working with social services and local support.

During the holidays, who notices when something isn’t right?

Term time has routines: familiar staff, predictable attendance, and regular touchpoints.

Holiday periods can remove those safety nets — especially for children who rely on school or structured provision for:

Consistent meals
Safe adults
Routine and stability
Early help and monitoring

A strong Christmas HAF plan doesn’t just deliver activities.

It creates visibility, consistency, and safe escalation.

1) Identifying at-risk children: plan your “visibility strategy”

You don’t need to label children as “at risk” publicly — but you do need a plan for who needs closer attention.

Confirm referral routes and eligibility criteria with your local authority
Ensure staff know the safeguarding lead and how to escalate
Build gentle check-in moments into sessions (not interrogations)
Watch for patterns: repeated non-attendance, withdrawn behaviour, unexplained injuries, extreme hunger, or sudden changes

If you’re using digital safeguarding records, make sure staff know what to log and how quickly it’s reviewed.

2) Food poverty during holidays: treat it as safeguarding-adjacent, not “just welfare”

Food insecurity impacts:

Health and energy
Behaviour and emotional regulation
Dignity and social inclusion
Risk of exploitation (children seeking food/support elsewhere)

Controls that help:

Remove stigma (quiet sign-up, no public lists)
Ensure food provision is consistent and predictable
Have a plan for children who arrive extremely hungry - if you've a day of activities they're going to need fuel
Delicately signpost families to local support (food banks, vouchers, community hubs)

Food poverty isn’t a “nice to solve” — it’s part of keeping children safe and well.

3) Domestic abuse and family stress: why risk can rise in December

Holiday periods can increase pressure:

Financial stress puts parent's under pressure to provide the best Christmas they can
alcohol/substance use increases with more social engagements
overcrowding is common as more people are out celebrating

Staff don’t need to become investigators. They need to:

Recognise signs (fearfulness, hypervigilance, controlling adult behaviour)
Know the escalation route - we say this a lot but it's one of the best tools your team should have in their locker
Record concerns factually and promptly - again we say this a lot but practice makes perfect

A calm, consistent response is what protects children.

4) Loneliness and isolation: safeguarding isn’t always loud

Some children will present as “fine” while being isolated and Christmas can make this feel more obvious than other times of the year.

Children who cling to staff or struggle to leave
Low mood, anxiety, or shutdown
Disclosures that start as “small” comments

Build in:

Predictable routines
Trusted adults and clear roles
Quiet spaces
Opportunities for children to talk without pressure

5) Emergency contacts: get this right before day one

Holiday provision often involves different venues, staff and/or hours. Your emergency contact plan should include:

Updated parent/carer contact details
Authorised collection details
Medical needs and allergy information
Local escalation contacts (DSL, LA lead, out-of-hours)
Clear “what if we can’t reach anyone?” procedure

This is one of the biggest practical safeguarding failure points in holiday programmes.

6) Partnership working: don’t operate in isolation

Christmas HAF works best when it’s connected.

Partnership links to confirm:

Local authority HAF team
Early help / family support
Social care (where appropriate)
Domestic abuse services
Mental health support routes
Community organisations providing food and crisis support

Agree in advance:

Who to contact
What information can be shared
How quickly responses happen

7) Staff briefing: the 10-minute script that prevents chaos

Keep it short and repeated.

Who the safeguarding lead is today
How to record and escalate concerns - we're going to keep saying it.
Collection and late collection process
Boundaries of what's acceptable and not
What to do if a child discloses

Holiday staff need clarity, not a 40-page policy.

Quick quiz: Christmas HAF safeguarding

What’s one of the biggest safeguarding risks in holiday provision?

A) Children having fun
B) Too many activities
C) Reduced visibility and fewer routine touch points

Why is food poverty relevant to safeguarding?

A) It impacts wellbeing, behaviour, and can increase vulnerability
B) It isn’t — it’s only a financial issue
C) It only affects adults

What’s the best approach to emergency contacts in holiday programmes?

A) Assume term-time details are correct
B) Confirm and update details before day one, including authorised collection
C) Only check if there’s a problem

Answer key: 1) C 2) A 3) B

Q&A: Christmas HAF programme safeguarding

Q1: Why do safeguarding risks increase during school holidays?

Because routines and visibility reduce, services can be harder to access, and family stress can rise.

Q2: What should staff do if they suspect a child is experiencing neglect or harm during the holidays?

Record concerns factually, escalate to the safeguarding lead immediately, and follow the agreed referral route.

Q3: How can HAF providers identify children who need extra support without stigmatising them?

Build support into the design of the programme.

Use discreet referral routes and private sign-up processes
Train staff to notice changes and patterns (attendance, hunger, behaviour)
Create predictable check-in moments (welcome, snack time, end-of-session)
Have a clear escalation route so staff don’t “hold” worries alone

The goal is to increase visibility without labelling children.

Q4: What information should we share with partners (and when)?

Share what’s necessary and proportionate to protect the child, using your information sharing process.

Q5: What should a strong safeguarding plan for Christmas HAF include?

At minimum:

Named safeguarding lead and deputy cover
Clear recording and escalation process (including out-of-hours)
Emergency contacts and authorised collection controls
Staff briefing script and boundaries
Partnership contacts and referral routes
A plan for food insecurity and welfare concerns

If these are in place, your programme is far more resilient when pressure hits.

Quick checklist: Week 50 Christmas HAF readiness

Referral routes and safeguarding leads confirmed
Emergency contacts and authorised collection updated
Food provision plan is consistent and stigma-free
Staff briefings are short, repeated, and practical
Partnership contacts and escalation routes agreed
Recording standards are clear (digital safeguarding records where used)