Holiday hub support for children with disabilities and additional support needs
We offer school holiday support for children and young people currently in P1 to S6 with additional support needs.
Holiday Hubs are open during the school holidays from Monday to Thursday, 9am to 3pm. The maximum allowance is four weeks per eligible child every academic year. Parents and carers must arrange their own transport to and from Holiday Hubs.
How to apply
If your child meets the criteria, please apply for a space at a school Holiday Hub.
Please contact your school or email us if you need help applying.
Information regarding applications for 2026/27 Holiday Hub provision will be available soon.
Eligibility for holiday support
In June 2025 we introduced new criteria for holiday support for children with additional support needs. This criteria will make sure that holiday support is directed to children and young people in the City of Edinburgh with the most complex needs and vulnerability.
The new criteria will be applied to applications for academic session 2025/26 and ensure that those with the most needs will be allocated up to four weeks provision across the October break, February break, Easter and the Summer holidays.
Holiday Hub support will be available to children and young people, who are the statutory responsibility of the City of Edinburgh Council, who have an Additional Support Need and fall into one of the following categories
- attends specialist provision – either a City of Edinburgh Council special provision or placed by the Local Authority in an independent school
- attends an Enhanced Support Provision (ESP) or Enhanced Support Base (ESB) within a mainstream setting
- attends a mainstream school and in receipt of audit hours support
- subject to Child Planning Meetings and recommended by senior education staff as requiring holiday support
- in receipt of support from the Children Affected Disability team and recommended by the team as requiring holiday support
- in receipt of child disability payment mid-level care and above
- recommended by out of school providers as requiring holiday support.
Home schooled children and young people with evidenced level of need will also be able to apply for holiday hub support.
Holiday hub support can play an important role in preventing family breakdown and if oversubscribed we will prioritise children and young people who meet the criteria and are at imminent risk of family breakdown and especially subject to the additional pressure on some families who are facing poverty.
If the Holiday Hubs are oversubscribed priority would be given to families impacted by poverty and in particular
- single carer families
- families living in temporary accommodation
- families receiving universal credit.
If you are concerned that this application and information has been sent late in the session and you do not have enough time to speak to your school please tick the relevant box and we will check with schools on their return in August. If you are in any doubt please apply and we will follow up.
Age range
Applications are open to children and young people who will be attending school/are due to attend school i.e. P1-S6 for the academic year 2025/26 and are over the age of 5 years. Children who attend nursery are not eligible. Any S4/5/6 students who will be leaving school in the of summer 2026 will not be eligible for summer allocation.
Holiday Hub hours
Holiday Hub Provision will run during the October break, February break, Easter break and the Summer holidays. Each week will run from Monday to Thursday, 9am until 3pm.
For each child or young person, in line with the current allocation we will offer up to 4 weeks over the academic year. We are aware from the applications so far that the majority of demand is over the summer, therefore we will work with the working group to ensure we maximise resources available in October and Easter.
Closing date
Applications for the 2025/26 holiday hub provision closed in August 2025.
Information regarding applications for the 2026/27 holiday hub provision will be displayed here in due course.
Transport
Transport for the Holiday Hub is the responsibility parent or carers. We will aim to allocate you a hub in your locality.
Fees/contribution
|
Rate |
Cost per week |
Eligibility |
Benefits might include |
|
Rate 1 |
£40 |
For people receiving benefits who are not working. |
|
|
Rate 2 |
£80 |
For people in work but receiving benefits linked to being on a low income. This rate is also if you are referring 2 or more children (you do not need to receive any benefits). |
|
|
Rate 3 |
£120 |
For people in work with no income related benefits. |
|
Holiday Hub Parent and Carer Steering Group
We regularly consult with the holiday hub parent and carer steering group to discuss the holiday hub provision and how aspects of it should be designed / managed to maximise transparency and fairness throughout. The holiday hubs parent steering group is an open membership group and currently meets monthly via MS Teams.
Meeting dates for 2026
- Friday 9 January, 10am to 11am
- Thursday 5 February, 10am to 11am
- Thursday 5 March, 10am to 11am.
- Tuesday 21 April 11am to 12pm
- Friday 22 May, 10am to 11am
- Friday 19 June 9.30am to 10.30am
Discussion notes will be uploaded here after meetings throughout the year and will then be archived at the conclusion of each annual provision
Steering group discussion notes – August 2025
Steering group discussion notes – September 2025
Steering group discussion notes – October 2025
Steering group discussion notes – November 2025