Summer holiday clubs to cover Britain’s six-week school break now cost parents an average of £1,076 per child, according to new figures from the children’s charity Coram.
It found high demand and a lack of cheaper council-run activities are the factors behind rising prices, up 4 per cent on last year.
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have even fewer options available.
Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: “Access to holiday childcare provision is vital for families and can have a positive benefit on the development of children.
“We support calls for a better link between term time and holiday childcare, and maintaining the holiday activities and food programme after March 2026.
“While councils recognise the importance of ensuring there is sufficient provision for children with SEND, it can be difficult to ensure the right provision is available, given the challenging situation that many providers face at the moment.
“Councils work closely with providers to improve access to holiday childcare provision for children with SEND, but without investment and recruitment of quality staff this will be difficult to deliver. Adequate funding, skilled practitioners and wider system support are essential to the early identification of need and support for children with SEND, and we urge the Government to consider this in its upcoming reforms.”