You’ll need to work for an organisation that supports families on an ongoing basis. This is so you can help families prepare for their holiday and to make the most of their experience when they are away.

You must work for a registered charity or a statutory service provider.

This usually means you work in one of the following organisations:

• Registered charities that provide services related to families.
• Government-provided children's and family support departments such as social services and community health teams.
• Family support NHS services.
• Schools, nurseries, and children’s centres.
• Registered refuge and domestic abuse support agencies.

Referrers in these organisations usually have roles like:

• Family support worker
• Social worker
• Health visitor
• Teacher
• Refuge support worker

Once you register as a referrer, your role doesn’t stop there. You will be on hand to help the family with the following:

The application 
Your first job as a referrer is to submit an application for the family(s) you’re supporting.

Our Holiday Application Guide outlines the questions in the application form to give you an idea of what we need to know about the family you’re supporting and your relationship with them. As a referrer, the crucial aspect of your role is to determine if it's the right time to refer the family for a holiday, by considering all potential safeguarding and risk factors.

Click to view our Safeguarding Policy 

At this stage, it’s important to manage the family’s expectations about receiving a holiday offer. As a charity relying on voluntary donations, our funding varies each year and isn’t guaranteed therefore not all holiday applications may result in a holiday being offered. Our goal is to support as many families as possible with the resources we have. Applications can remain active for 12 months while we work to match them to suitable funding. If we are unable to offer a holiday within this time, we will let you know.

Choosing a holiday 
If the family are offered a holiday, you’ll need to help them through the booking process.

Our Apply for a funded holiday page includes answers to some of the most common questions about funded holidays. We'll also share important information via email throughout the process, so don’t worry if you don’t find everything you need here.

Emotional and logistical support 
Once the holiday’s booked, the family might need help getting everything sorted before they go. This could mean planning how they’ll get there, figuring out what to pack, working out a budget, or planning fun things to do while they’re away. Holidays are exciting, but they can also feel a bit overwhelming, especially if it’s their first time. With your support, you can help them feel ready and confident so they can relax and enjoy the experience.

Holidays can cost significantly more than day to day life. If they can, the family should start saving for their holiday as early as possible, even if it is just a small amount each week. Although Family Holiday Charity do contribute to food and travel costs, things to consider budgeting for include activities, food, travel and general spending money.

Travelling to the holiday destination can be stressful for families, so making sure they feel comfortable travelling independently is important. You'll support them in planning their journey door-to-door, including onward travel from the train station to their accommodation if travelling by train, which might involve using local buses or a taxi.

Complete feedback
You will receive a post-holiday impact survey to complete as part of the offer.

It’s really important for us to understand if the holiday has made a difference to the family. 

We may use this information to show our funders the impact of the holiday, improve what we do, and help us secure more funding so we can keep helping more families get away together. Don’t worry, we always anonymise the data before using it.

We’ll only process personal information as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

Click to view our Privacy Policy 

If you’re happy to take on the role of a referrer, please register below.

If this is your first time using our services or you have changed your organisation, you must register before you can refer a family.

If you’re unsure whether you’re already registered or can’t find the email with the holiday application form link, please contact us at hello@familyholidaycharity.org.uk

New referrer registrations are reviewed manually by our team, so you won’t receive a verification email straight away. You can expect to hear from us within 14 days. Please note that during busy periods, there may be a slight delay in processing referrer registrations.

Once your registration has been approved you will receive a link to the holiday application form, in the meantime our Apply for a funded holiday page includes answers to some of the most common questions about funded holidays. We'll also share important information via email throughout the process.

Here, you'll find answers to some of the most common questions about being a referrer. We'll also share important information via email throughout the process, so don’t worry if you don’t find everything you need here.