Commissioner warns disabled children missing out on accessible holiday activities

The Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has published a report highlighting that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) from low-income families are unable to access free holiday activities. The research identifies significant barriers including geographical distance, physical inaccessibility, and a shortage of specialist support staff at activity provisions. These barriers mean that the children who might benefit most from holiday programmes are precisely those being excluded. The Commissioner emphasises the need for providers to ensure their activities are genuinely inclusive, with adequate specialist support and accessible locations, so that disabled children from disadvantaged backgrounds can participate fully alongside their peers.