Commenting on the launch of a school holiday provision campaign, COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Councillor Stephen McCabe said:

“Scotland’s children need to be able to access good food all year round, and as we enter the summer holidays councils across Scotland are spending millions gearing up to support families on low incomes.

“Local authorities provide a range of different models throughout the holiday period to promote family learning and contribute to closing the attainment gap, and we know from them that there is an increasing demand for the provision of food and snacks as part of this.

“Demand is rising, and if councils are to continue to be able to tackle food insecurity in their communities then they need support for their core budgets.”

Background

Local authorities have identified an increasing demand for the provision of support during holiday periods from low income families. This support includes the provision of holiday activities where food is an integral part of what is on offer. A COSLA survey undertaken prior to the summer holidays in 2018 showed that local authorities across Scotland use their core budgets to provide food during holiday periods, the majority of which was attached to existing holiday clubs or other activities. Further consultation with COSLA members this year shows that the majority of local authorities continue to invest in school holiday provision with many having to increase this investment to meet rising demand.