How our Holiday Respite programme supports academic continuity

Holiday Respite is much more than an additional service helping young people. 

It strengthens tutor and student relationships and supports the continuity of education in more ways than you might expect.  

For children with SEMH needs, school holidays can be destabilising. Without structure and daily support, the progress we work so hard to build in term time risks being undone. In some cases, we have to start from scratch. 

Our Holiday Respite programme contributes to a child’s emotional stability. It preserves (and builds on) trust.  

It creates consistency. Consistency is what creates change. 

Building the relationships that drive growth  

For SEMH children, relationships are everything.  

These students are often misunderstood and have previously been let down by many authority figures. OCEM focuses on undoing this. It's about building trust, emotional regulation and stability. 

When we take learning off the table during Holiday Respite, we meet the child as they are. And they meet us without the educational expectations. Bonds deepen even more in this downtime. Children begin to feel seen for who they are, not their behavioural issues. The sense of control and authority they gain with us is empowering.  

This programme supports family relationships too. During school holidays, routine often disappears. Especially in homes with working parents, multiple children or a lack of resources. It provides SEMH children with a structure tailored to their needs and interests that they otherwise wouldn’t receive. This could look like day trips to museums, exploring local wildlife or even trips to the cinema. It’s completely flexible and child-led, but it helps build on essential life skills like independence and cognitive skills. With the child more regulated, home life gets easier for everyone. 

When a child feels safe, they open up. When they open up, we build trust. And trust is the foundation of learning. When they return to school, they’ll be considerably more receptive to education! 

Keeping a routine and continuity   

Learning depends on regulation for SEMH children. 

Without consistency, that progress can slip away fast. Especially over the six-week summer holiday. 

We’ve seen it happen time and again. Holiday Respite helps keep the momentum. It maintains the relationship, keeps their routine intact and shows them we still care. It's simple things like keeping a good sleep schedule, staying regular with healthy meals and getting enough fresh air and mental stimulation. 

Routine gives the child a sense of safety and prevents them from losing any social, emotional and mental progress that took precious time to build. Having the freedom to focus on hobbies, fun, and new experiences is soul food for these children. They can fully relax and reap the benefits of our support even more than usual. Again, this makes the return to school much smoother and easier for every parent, teacher, tutor and authority figure involved. 

Bethany’s story  

Bethany’s* dad worked night shifts. Over the summer holidays, she’d usually stay at home with her older sibling. With no structure to her days, she’d spend hours on her own or online. 

Bethany is autistic and experiences high levels of anxiety. Socialising can be overwhelming, and without a predictable and regulating routine, she became dysregulated quickly. 

She joined our Holiday Respite programme three days a week. One day, we visited the beach (that she lived 30 minutes away from but had never visited) with a small group of other OCEM students. Beth usually found it hard to socialise. But with the mixture of feeling heard, safe and autonomically free, she was able to make friendships with the other children. 

At the end of the holidays, her dad told us she seemed much calmer. She was having far fewer meltdowns and was able to communicate her needs much better. She was energised upon her return to school, still in a healthy routine and gushed about her ‘amazing summer’ to her teachers. 

*Name changed for privacy and safety reasons. 

Spread the word 

Every child has the potential to succeed in education.   

Some just need a bit more consistency to get there. 

If you know a child who could benefit from our Holiday Respite programme, please share this blog with a parent, professional or your local authority. 

It could make all the difference to an SEMH child and their future. Any questions? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.