School age childcare: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

3. What likely impact – direct or indirect – will the policy/measure have on children and young people?

Direct

The SACC Programme is targeted at primary school children (age 4 to 12 years old), and that particular age group of children will see the most direct positive impact of the SACC.

The Programme is being targeted at the six priority family types as identified in the Tackling child poverty delivery plan, and so children in those families will particularly benefit:

• Children from lone parent families;
• Children from minority ethnic families;
• Children from families with a disabled adult or child;
• Children from families with a young mother (under 25);
• Children from families with a child under 1 year old; and
• Children from larger families (3+ children).

Young people who are parents with school age children will benefit as one of the priority family types.

Children from targeted families who don’t usually access SACC will benefit from activities and other opportunities that they do not usually experience, reducing inequalities that currently might exist.

All children who access SACC will benefit from the health and wellbeing impacts such as rest, play, socialisation and participation in a wide range of activities.

All children who access SACC will benefit from integrated food provision.

Children and young people with disabilities and additional support needs can experience difficulties accessing SACC so the Programme will particularly benefit these children.

By expanding SACC to include a greater diversity of families, children will have the opportunity to interact and learn from children with different races, cultures and backgrounds, promoting diversity.

Indirect

The Programme will target the six priority family types and will reduce the risk of families living in poverty by reducing barriers to employment and increasing parental income through work. As poverty impacts children’s health and educational attainment, as well as life opportunities in adulthood, the Programme will help realise more children’s full potential.

Targeted families who would currently pay for SACC will have reduced costs and potentially more household income.

SACC services will play a vital role in addressing economic and social exclusion, offering respite, and giving families, including children, better quality, choice and sustainability.