If you're looking to apply for a funded holiday for a family you're supporting, you've come to the right place.
You'll need to register first and that means you'll be agreeing to support the family in a number of ways.
On this page:
Referrers we work with
Role of a referrer
Registering with us and how to refer a family
Be a referrer FAQs
Referrers we work with
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
Role of a referrer
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.
Registering with us and how to refer a family
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.
Be a referrer FAQs
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.
What happens when you receive my referrer registration?
Our team will check that you work for a registered charity or statutory service provider and that your role involves ongoing support for families. If your job title is one we’re not familiar with, we’ll get in touch to chat about the role of a referrer and make sure it’s something you can take on. We’ll also check your contact details, as we don’t accept email addresses from unsecure mailboxes such as @hotmail or info@. If there’s anything the team are unsure of, we’ll email you before declining your registration to give you a chance to get in touch to discuss it.
These checks are in place to safeguard families and ensure their data stays secure.
Click to view our Privacy Policy
Click to view our Safeguarding Policy
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.
Why do I need to provide my line manager's details when registering?
When registering as a referrer, you are required to enter your line manager's contact details. This is to make sure we have a second point of contact if:
- We are unable to get hold of you
- You are on leave (annual, sick, maternity, paternity, etc.)
If you are on leave, they will automatically take responsibility for any outstanding applications or booked holidays unless you contact us to transfer the applications to another colleague.
What happens if I register as a referrer, submit a holiday application, and then leave my role. Can I transfer the holiday application to another referrer?
If you’re leaving your role or taking extended leave and want to transfer an application to a colleague within you organisation, please call 020 3117 0650 or email hello@familyholidaycharity.org.uk. We’ll need email confirmation that your colleague agrees to take responsibility over the application and that the family is informed. The new referrer will need to register as referrer (if they haven’t already) before the application can be transferred.
If you’re leaving your organisation and the family will be supported by a professional from a different organisation, we cannot transfer the application due to GDPR and for safeguarding reasons. The new professional must register as a referrer and submit a fresh application. If the family has no active referrer or support, the application will be withdrawn.
Will the organisation I work for need to be able to receive or transfer funds?
For our funded holiday programme, your organisation will not need to receive or transfer any funds unless a family cancels their holiday after using the food or fuel vouchers included in the offer. If this is the case then your organisation will need to reimburse those funds to us, therefore, it’s important to ensure your organisation can handle this before referring a family.
Click for Holiday Terms & Conditions
Occasionally, we run smaller programmes where we don’t work directly with suppliers. In these cases, you’ll need to receive the funds and make payments directly. If this applies, we’ll let you know at the application stage.
Does being a referrer give me access to other Family Holiday Charity programmes for families?
We’re always working on new and exciting projects to improve how we support families. By being a referrer, you’ll be the first to hear about anything we launch that could benefit the families you support.
How long do I need to be supporting families for to be eligible to be a referrer?
It is important you work with families on an ongoing basis as holiday applications can remain active for 12 months while we work to match them to suitable funding. Once matched, the application will be assessed, and if successful we’ll email the holiday offer to you, the referrer, rather than the family directly. This helps make sure you’re still supporting the family in your role. If you’re no longer working with them, just let us know at that stage.