For many children, the summer holidays mean six weeks of freedom. Days spent outdoors, family trips, time with friends and a much-needed break from school.
But for thousands of children across the UK, summer can look very different.
When schools close, the structure and support they provide disappears too. For children facing poverty, caring responsibilities or difficult circumstances at home, the long summer holidays can mean greater isolation, anxiety and responsibility.
Some rarely get the chance to leave home. Others have never been on a family holiday or seen the sea. For children who rely on free school meals, the holidays can also bring added pressure at home.
Every child deserves a summer filled with happy memories.
At Go Beyond, our free residential breaks give children facing serious challenges the chance to get away from their worries, spend time outdoors, make new friends and experience the freedom of simply being a child.
For Jayden, summer wasn’t a break
Jayden has had to grow up much faster than most children.
As a young carer for his dad, who is deaf, Jayden takes on the role of translator and helps him navigate everyday life. He had also been struggling with his confidence and self-esteem as he made the transition to secondary school.
While the summer holidays offer a much-needed rest for many children, for Jayden they meant more time at home and no break from his caring responsibilities.
His family couldn’t afford a summer holiday, so he had never had the opportunity to swim in the sea, build sandcastles or enjoy an ice cream by the seaside.
His teachers could see how much he needed some time away and referred him to Go Beyond.
A week to simply be a child
From his first day with us, Jayden began to feel lighter and more relaxed.
With the support of our Break Leaders and volunteers, he made friends, grew in confidence and threw himself into everything the week had to offer.
For once, Jayden didn’t have to look after anyone else. The adults were there to look after him.
And one of the biggest moments came during a day at the beach.
Jayden played football in the sand, collected shells and soaked up the sunshine before trying something completely new: surfing.
He listened carefully to every tip from his instructor and quickly found his balance. In fact, he was such a natural that he even helped one of our Break Leaders learn how to stay on their board!
It was a simple summer day. But for Jayden, it was a day filled with experiences he’d never had before.
A summer can make a difference
Across his week at Go Beyond, Jayden stepped away from the responsibilities he carries at home and rediscovered his spark.
He tried new things, made new friends and experienced the freedom and joy that every child deserves. By the end of his stay, he appeared more relaxed, confident and self-assured.
This summer, there are more children like Jayden who need a break.
Children who could be seeing the sea for the first time. Learning to surf. Sitting around a campfire. Laughing with new friends. Enjoying an ice cream in the sunshine.
With your support, we can give more children a summer filled with hope, adventure and memories they’ll never forget.
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Names and some story details have been changed to protect the children’s identities.
