The impact of holiday clubs on household food insecurity—A pilot study. (10th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Long, Michael A.; Stretesky, Paul B.; Graham, Pamela Louise; Palmer, Katie Jane; Steinbock, Eileen; Defeyter, Margaret Anne
• Is Part Of: Health & social care in the community. Volume 26:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: e261
• Page End: e269
• Publication Date: 2017-10-10
• Subjects: food policy -- food poverty -- food security -- holiday hunger; Public welfare -- Periodicals; Community health services -- Periodicals; Human services -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12507
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0966-0410

Abstract

Abstract: This research investigates whether holiday clubs have the potential to reduce food insecurity among households in the United Kingdom. We survey parents ( n = 38) of children attending seven different holiday clubs to estimate the percentage of children in those programmes who come from food insecure households. Results suggest that 42% (16 out of 38 respondents) of children come from households defined as "food insecure" and 24% (9 out of 38 respondents) come from households that are "food insecure with hunger." When secure and insecure households are compared, we discover that food insecure households benefit the most from holiday clubs, which suggests that they may play an important role in mitigating household food insecurity.