Free school breakfast scheme extended over summer holidays

The scheme will see the most disadvantaged children from 1,800 schools entitled to free healthy breakfasts over the six-week break.

The initiative will be coordinated by Magic Breakfast and Family Action - the charities which run the government’s breakfast club programme.

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The two organisations are making arrangements with schools on the programme so that they can access this provision over the summer, which may include parents collecting food parcels or breakfast food ‘drop offs’ to make sure families are getting the support they need, DfE said.

The move comes after the government rowed back on plans to end the current free school meals voucher scheme over the summer break following a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford.

It later announced a Covid Summer Food Fund targeted at families struggling to cope financially during the pandemic.

The scheme will also see the government fund the delivery of at least four weeks of free activities and healthy food for around 50,000 children as part of its holiday activities and food programme in 17 local authorities across England during July and August.

David Holmes, chief executive of Family Action, said: “Family Action and Magic Breakfast, as the providers of the national school breakfast programme, have succeeded in keeping this essential programme open and available to over a thousand schools and tens of thousands of children and families during lockdown. “We are delighted to flex the programme delivery so that we can now also support many national school breakfast programme schools, children and families with access to nutritious breakfast supplies during the coming summer holidays.”

Children’s Minister Vicky Ford said her priority has “always been to protect and support the children who need a helping hand”.

She said: “It’s more important than ever before that they remain at the heart of everything we do.

“Extending our popular and successful breakfast club programme over the summer holidays will mean thousands of children continue getting a positive start to their day.

“As a government, we are responding to the needs of families who are struggling – that’s why we put in place an unprecedented package of support to tackle the unique challenges they face.”