The Healthy Living Lab was one of the first labs in the UK to investigate the impact of food insecurity on vulnerable families and children during the school holidays.
Our findings have made a difference at both a national, regional, household and individual level. They have shown the importance of programmes which support some of our most disadvantaged children, parents and communities.
Research from the Lab has led to a national shift in school breakfast programmes and has directly influenced the development and expansion of the Department for Education's Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme in England.
Here you can find links to our peer-reviewed research studies, as well as papers for Select Committees, Inquiries and for other organisations on key policy issues.
SCHOOL FOOD AND BREAKFAST CLUBS |
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To Mark National School Breakfast week earlier this month, our latest guest blog from Registered Public Health Nutritionist Ali Morpeth discusses Labour’s Breakfast Club Policy and the benefits of universal provision to children and families. 2024 |
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Free School Meals: Impact, Policy and Future Directions Currently approximately 250,000 children living in some of most deprived households in England are not receiving the free school meal that they have a right to. The DfE estimates that approximately 11% of pupils entitled to means-tested FSM are not registered. Parents do not register their child for free school meals due to a multitude of reasons and the registration process differs across local authorities and schools. Recently a number of local authorities have piloted so called ‘auto-enrolment’ which requires the local authority to ‘scape’ and match data (e.g. data from revenues and benefits with FSM registration). This normally works on an opt out basis in which the local authority sends the parents/carers a letter offering them the chance of opt out of the process. Such local efforts have shown that this approach not only significantly increases the number of pupils registering for FSM but also increases the associated pupil premium paid to schools. Whilst we applaud such efforts from local authorities, it seems that a much more efficient, national solution is at hand. A data agreement between the DfE and the DWP would, with some modification to the existing systems, allow claimants of benefits that meet the criteria for means tested FSM to be assessed at the point of claim. Thus, reducing administrative work and checks, and reducing pressure on cash strapped local authorities. These two presentations highlight the need to broaden FSM entitlement. |
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This study explores the perceptions of key stakeholders regarding fairness and accessibility of school meals for BMSC, as well as discussing school food provision for those maintaining a religious diet in light of social justice. 2024 |
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A Day in the Life of a Secondary School Pupil in Relation to School Food An exploration of how school meal uptake and individual dietary uptake during the secondary school day can be improved to support pupil's health, wellbeing, attendance and educational attainment. 2024 |
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A report produced in collaboration with the N8 Research Partnership, Child of the North, Health Equity North and a number of universities outlines overwhelming evidence that the health of children and young people in the UK is getting worse and children’s education, as well as physical and mental wellbeing, is being impacted by inactivity and unhealthy diets and provides and overview on how the government can reset their vision for children. 2024 |
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A chapter in the Routledge International Handbook on Equity and Inclusion in Education. 2024 |
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A brief review of Secondary School Food Policy (SSFP) in the UK from 2010-2022 The purpose of this paper is to provide a snapshot of secondary school food policy (SSFP) across the devolved nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) to offer insights into a growing area of policy concern. 2024 |
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London’s Universal Free School Meals provision could come at a cost to primary schools The Greater London Authority planned to deliver universal free school meals to all primary school children across London, however the scheme could result in significant losses in school funding through a drop in pupil premiums. To estimate how much income may be lost, researchers in Northumbria University’s Healthy Living Lab used school census data from the Department for Education and a DfE report that stated that 11% of parents whose children are eligible for free school meals but are not registered to receive them. |
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Covid-19: School and community feeding programs for children and young people The papers included in this Research Topic clearly show how schools, and school feeding programs, are central to all educational recovery programs in building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022 |
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School Meals Case Study: England A case study prepared by the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition, an initiative of the School Meals Coalition. 2022 |
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This study aimed to explore the relationship between initial school closures and children’s health by comparing health and well-being outcomes collected during school closures (April–June 2020) via HAPPEN (the Health and Attainment of Pupils in a Primary Education Network) with data from the same period in 2019 and 2018 via the HAPPEN Survey. 2021 |
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Pioneering New Approaches to Children’s Food Budgets A case study with Feeding Britain that recommends children in receipt of free school meals should be able to 'carry over' unspent money from their electronic cards to make the system more equitable for all pupils. 2020 |
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A literature review of breakfast consumption and school breakfast clubs A review of the academic literature published on children’s breakfast consumption and the impact of school breakfast clubs on children’s diet, health, and educational success. 2020 |
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An article covering the release of a report that looks at the millions of pounds allocated by the government to feed some of the poorest children in the country and why it is unaccounted for. 2019 |
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School Meals & Pupil Premium: Hungry for Change A working paper which estimates that universal free school meals across London may come at a cost to pupil premiums. 2019 |
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The issue of ‘holiday hunger’ (i.e. food insecurity during school holidays) has received increased attention in recent years, though research in this area is limited. 2019 |
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Covid-19: Back to School, Rebuilding a Better Future for All Children A submission (CIE0042) to the Education Select Committee inquiry on the impact of COVID-19 on education and children’s services. 2020 |
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School and community breakfast clubs online training An end of programme report into the success of a training programme – developed in partnership with Kellogg’s – for schools and community groups involved in the implementation or delivery of breakfast clubs during 2016-17. |
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This research investigates the views of staff and volunteers working in holiday clubs to gauge their views about the needs and benefits of holiday food provision. The investigation revealed that staff and volunteers believe that holiday clubs are a valuable source of support for children and adults, providing food, activities, and learning experiences. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, 2016. |
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This study assessed senior stakeholder views on the processes and potential outcomes on different groups, within the communities served by school breakfast programmes. Published in Public Health Frontiers, 2016. |
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Breakfast clubs: Starting the day in a positive way A study of directly observed children's behaviour within breakfast club settings to devise a set of observational criteria and investigate the occurrence of positive and negative behaviours. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, 2015. |
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More than just a meal: Breakfast club attendance and children’s social relationships An investigation of attendance at breakfast clubs and after school clubs to assess their impact on children's friendship quality and experiences of peer victimisation. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, 2015. |
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An investigation into the views of parents, children and school staff on school breakfast clubs. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, 2015. |
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Universal free school breakfast: a qualitative model for breakfast behaviours A study to investigate the beliefs, views and attitudes, and breakfast consumption behaviours among key stakeholders served by a council-wide universal free school breakfast initiative in the North West of England. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, 2015. |
HAF |
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Holiday Activities and Food (HAF): Providing Bags of Hope Numerous research findings have shown that parents perceive that HAF supports school readiness. In our latest research project, we partnered with Love Amelia to evaluate an addition to the HAF programme. School backpacks filled with essentials were provided to 2000 children attending HAF. The project was co-produced with schoolteachers, parents, children and businesses, and the findings are extremely positive in supporting children in returning to school following the summer school holiday. This project provides an excellent example of how charities and businesses can work together to add additional value to a government funded project. 2024 |
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Bring it On Brum 2022 evaluation report An evaluation of Birmingham's HAF programme. 2023 |
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A report seeking to highlight both individual and cost benefits associated with the HAF programme in Birmingham. 2023 |
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The North East Child Poverty Trust (NECPT) - Northumberland Holiday Provision A report commission by Leading Link to evaluate Northumberland's Summer Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. |
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Sunderland City Council: Survey of holiday provision club leaders An evaluation of the holiday programme in Sunderland to gain an understanding of the perceived needs of the community during the summer holidays; the types of holiday club provision on offer, and their objectives; and the perceived outcomes for parents and children |
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This study aims at evaluating the nutritional quality of food provision at HAF holiday clubs, particularly hot/cold and vegetarian/non-vegetarian meals. 2023 |
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An Exploration of Nutritional Education within the Holiday Activities and Food Programme in England A study which explores the implementation, delivery, and perceived facilitators, barriers and impacts of nutritional education across a number of Local Authorities delivering HAF in England. |
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In this study, qualitative interviews were conducted with representatives from three Local Authorities in the North East of England who were responsible for overseeing the implementation and delivery of HAF programmes in their Local Authority area to examine how the summer HAF programme was implemented during summer 2021. 2022 |
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This study uses original in-depth interviews with 11 individuals in municipal or county food policy positions to understand the purpose and function of governmental food policy staff positions and their impact on local food systems. 2021 |
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Examining the relationship between child holiday club attendance and parental mental wellbeing This paper reports results of an evaluation of 17 holiday clubs located throughout North East England that ran during the summer of 2017, designed to reduced summertime food insecurity. 2021 |
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Food insecurity: A constant Factor in the Lives of Low-Income Families in Scotland and England During the school summer holidays, pressures on the already tight budgets of low-income families are compounded, particularly when the safety net of free school meals is removed. The main aim of the current study was to investigate how low-income parents and carers feed their families during term time when children receive free school meals and if, and how, strategies differ during the school summer holidays. 2021 |
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Holiday Hunger in the UK: Local Responses to Childhood Food Insecurity This timely and much-needed book focuses on the phenomenon often referred to as "holiday hunger" in the United Kingdom. 2021 |
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Holiday club programmes in Northern Ireland: The voices of children and young people An investigation into the views of children and young people into holiday provision across three holiday clubs in Northern Ireland. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, 2021 |
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This qualitative study investigates the views of senior stakeholders (N = 15) who are responsible for facilitating or implementing programmes of holiday provision to determine the need for holiday provision, examples of best practice for delivering programmes of holiday provision and barriers for effective delivery. 2020 |
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Food Insecurity in Advanced Capitalist Nations: A Review. The purpose of the current review is to provide a very broad overview of the food insecurity literature, including definitions, measurement, areas of study, and impacts on health. Importantly, this review suggests there are two major causes of food insecurity in the advanced nations: economic inequality and neoliberalism. 2020 |
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Evaluation of ‘A Day Out, Not A Handout’ holiday provision programme An exploration of the potential relationship between club provision and children's health, nutrition and wellbeing, as well as the potential relationship between club provision and parents' stress, isolation, financial strain and overall wellbeing. 2020 |
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Holiday hunger and parental stress: evidence from North East England Summer is a stressful time of year for many parents as they struggle to meet household expenses and feed children. This study looked at the association between holiday hunger and parental stress among a sample of UK parents with school age children living in North East England, finding that holiday hunger caused considerable distress among parents during the summertime. Published in Sustainability, 2020. |
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Holiday clubs as community organisations One benefit of holiday clubs is that they provide healthy food to low-income children when schools are not in session. While holiday clubs are known for feeding children who may go hungry, they also provide additional anti-poverty benefits that strengthen community wellbeing. This research documents the important additional benefits beyond food that holiday clubs deliver to food insecure households. Published in The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2020. |
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Holiday hunger: The government must remove the inequalities in children’s access to holiday clubs Opinion piece for The BMJ. 2019 |
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Holiday Hunger: Feeding Children During the School Holidays Childhood poverty is rising in the United Kingdom and now impacts 3.9 million children (McCall 2016, p. 747). As a result, more children experience poor nutrition and hunger. This chapter focuses on the concept of “holiday hunger” as one aspect of poverty that threatens the wellbeing of children. 2018 |
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Kitchen Social (Mayor’s Fund for London) Research Report An evaluation of the effectiveness of the Kitchen Social programme at the individual, family and community level, as well as developing a fuller understanding of the context in which the hubs operate. 2018 |
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A question of justice: are holiday clubs serving the most deprived communities in England? Holiday hunger in the UK has led to the establishment of hundreds of holiday clubs that feed children during the school holidays. This research examines where those clubs are located and if they are being established in communities where they are needed the most. Published in Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, 2018. |
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Investigation of summer learning loss in the UK – implications for holiday club provision Summer learning loss is a problem for many UK households with school aged children. This research examined learning loss in spelling and word reading for school children in disadvantaged areas in the North East of England and west of Scotland who did not attend a holiday clubs over the summer. Published in Frontiers in Public Health, 2017. |
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The impact of holiday clubs on household food insecurity – a pilot study Holiday clubs help feed children in the UK during school holidays, but it is not clear whether they reduce food insecurity in a child’s household. This research surveyed parents and other caregivers about food security in their households and found that holiday clubs may serve as an important resource to help reduce holiday hunger across the UK. Published in Health and Social Care in the Community, 2017. |
HAF+ |
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Designing as Infrastructuring to Impact Policy. This paper presents learnings based on a series of co-design interventions with young people in four English local authorities to a) design age-appropriate Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes and b) impact national policy. 2024 |
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The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, funded by the Department of Education (DfE), is open to children and young people, aged 516 years of age who are in eligible for free school meals, with a small proportion of the budget for the inclusion of other children and young people (e.g. SEND). However, during evaluation our researchers noted lower levels of engagement iwth the programme than expected in 13-16 year olds. This piece of work is the result of a national sprint with young people to design a programme tailored to them. |
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Rethinking the Holiday Activities and Food Programme for Teenagers A policy paper from INSIGHTS NE. 2024 |
COMMUNITY FOOD POLICY AND PROGRAMMES/OTHER |
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Written evidence presented to the APPG on Ending the Need for Foodbanks NIHR funded pilot study which, following the Covid-19 lockdown, measured food insecurity in five wards in local authority area located in the North East of England to inform the future provision of food aid. 2024 |
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Predicting food insecurity among UK university students during the Covid-19 pandemic The present study investigated potential predictors of food insecurity among UK university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2024 |
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A study aimed to investigate the extent to which effects of income on stress and well-being are mediated by food insecurity, whilst accounting for the effects of family size. |
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Evaluation of the ‘Partnerships for People and Place’ Project A report commissioned by Newcastle City Council to independently evaluate the Partnership for People and Places project (PfPP) a pilot scheme and the co-location of council services in community settings using Ripple Effects Mapping. 2023 |
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The bungled digitisation of Healthy Start is hampering low-income families’ access to healthy food. Opinion piece in BMJ. 2022 |
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Pilot study exploring food insecurity, food waste, food related behaviours and cooking confidence of UK consumers following the COVID-19 lockdown in the British Journal of Food. 2021 |
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This paper draws upon the concept of recreancy to examine the mental well-being of university students during the Covid-19 pandemic. 2021 |
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Food Insecurity and Lived Experience of Students (FILES) A paper which provides evidence of the impact of Covid-19 on higher education students’ levels of food security and lived experiences. 2020 |
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Feeding disadvantaged children during the Covid-19 pandemic The coronavirus crisis has shone a light on pre-existing social, economic and health inequalities. This article examines what has been done to support children who rely on free school meals and holiday clubs to access healthy, nutritious food. 2020 |
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Food and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic A policy paper from the Healthy Living Lab and Feeding Britain revealing the lengths to which millions of people in the UK are going to keep themselves and their families. 2020 |
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The impact of COVID-19 on education and children’s services - Committees - UK Parliament A submission (CIE0186) to the Education Select Committee inquiry on The impact of Covid-19 on education and children’s services. 2020 |
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