What happens on the holiday?

We have a fully equipped indoor games room with a ‘bucking bronco’, dance arcade game, air hockey, pool table and table tennis. We also have a fully equipped craft room, and lots of toys, lego and books. In the evenings we usually settle down for a film in our comfy TV lounge.

Do I need to take them to Skegness?

We provide all the transport and will collect the children from an agreed pickup point which is local and hopefully convenient for you. 

For schools in Derby the pick-up point is usually on Full Street behind Derby Cathedral in front of the statue of Bonny Prince Charlie and next to the Premier Inn.

For schools further afield, we will do our best to arrange a convenient pick-up point at a local school or town centre.

Pick up is always at 10am on the Monday morning and drop off is always at the same place, at 3pm on the Friday.

Do the children go on visits in Skegness?  Yes, we make the most of being by the seaside with carefree days spent on the beach, in and around Skegness, as well as visits to the amusements, swimming pool and the local park. Occassionally, we may arrange visits to local attractions such as
Gibraltar Point or Lincolnshire Wolds Wildlife Park.

How do I know that the adults will look after my child and if they will be safe when they are there?

All our staff and volunteers are DBS checked and are trained in safeguarding children. References and barred list checks are also carried out to the same standard as school staff. All our staff and volunteers are committed to making this the very best experience possible for your child. We want to see them with smiles on their faces, heading home to you after having a brilliant time away with us.  

We are not perfect however, so if we get things wrong, and you or your child are unhappy with any aspect of our holiday, we want to hear from you so that we can listen, improve and do better next time!

Contact the Chief Executive Officer, Janine Holmes on 01332 345424 to discuss.

My child is a fussy eater. Will there be food there that they like?

We try to provide a variety of healthy and tasty options to eat. Please let us know about any food allergy or intolerance, or special dietary requirements as soon as possible. We cater for religious dietary requirements such as halal too. Our food is child friendly, just like you make for them at home. We are very used to fussy eaters and take it in our stride!

What do they need to take with them?

They need enough clothes for a five-day holiday. There are no special requirements and please do not spend money on new clothes. There are very good laundry facilities at the centre and staff can wash clothing quickly if they need to. It is however important that your child brings with them something warm as it can be cold at Skegness! It is helpful if clothing is labelled with your child’s name.

Here is a suggested packing list

• Warm coat or jacket (preferably waterproof)
• Outdoor footwear – Shoes/Trainers
• Indoor footwear – Slippers/Soft shoes
• Every day clothing for 5 days including at least one jumper, hoodie or sweatshirt
• Plenty of underwear and socks
• Pyjamas/night wear
• Two towels and a swimming costume
• Toothbrush and toothpaste, soap and shampoo.
• Soft toys and books are always welcome!

Can they bring pocket money?

Yes but no more than £5! If you decide to send pocket money, please put it in an envelope with their name on and hand it over to the volunteer at the pick-up point. They can keep it safe until the children need it and this avoids tears if it gets lost!

Are they allowed to take mobile phones with them?

1. Mobile phones, tablets and personal electronic devices are not allowed. However, you can speak to your child if they are worried or concerned.

Can I contact them if I want to?

If you need to make contact with your child while they are at the centre, you can do so between 5 and 6pm which fits in well with their mealtime and activities.

We would ask you to not call on the first evening (Monday) as we find that children need to arrive and settle down first in order to overcome any homesickness that they may initially experience. The telephone number for the centre is 01754 802731.

What happens if they have an accident, or something happens to them while they are there?

Our staff and volunteers are trained to deal with first aid and minor injuries. If a more severe incident was to happen, we would seek immediate emergency assistance for your child’s safety.

We ask you to provide consent for this when you complete their application form. We will contact you if an emergency happens while they are away, and make sure you are fully aware of what has happened.

Please make sure that you provide us with the contact details of a second person as an emergency contact in case we can’t reach you.  This could be a relative or trusted friend.

What happens if my child doesn’t behave themself?

We understand that children seek attention in different ways, and sometimes this is through challenging behaviour. Our staff and volunteers are trained to deal with this type of behaviour, whilst setting clear boundaries for the children to understand. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

However, in very, very rare instances, if behaviour is deemed to be a risk to themselves or others, we will call you to arrange for your child to return home. It is your responsibility to collect your child from Skegness, or meet the costs of transport required to return them home, if this happens.

My child takes regular medication. Can they still go?

Yes! We ask you to provide us with as much information about this as you can.  Medication, in its original packaging, which clearly shows the child’s name and dosage instructions on the label, must be handed over to one of our volunteers at the pick-up point.

My child still wets the bed sometimes and is embarrassed about this. I want them to go so what happens if they have an accident?

It is very common for this to happen. All adults at the centre are used to dealing with this discretely and sensitively. The centre has a laundry room and lots and lots of spare clothing.

The centre has private, enclosed shower cubicles. If your child sleeps in pull-ups at home, please send a supply with them.  It is very important that you let us know in advance if you think there could be a risk that your child will have accidents like this while they are with us. This means that we can check in with your child without it becoming a problem for them. 

Please note that whilst we are very happy to cope with ‘accidents’, if your child is not toilet trained and regularly soils themselves, this places our resources under significant strain and we may not be able to offer your child a place in these circumstances.

My child has special needs. What will happen if they can’t cope being away
from me?

We absolutely ‘get’ neuro-diverse children. They thrive at our centre and our staff and volunteers are resilient and will ‘go the extra mile’ for any of our holiday guests.  We want to be able to offer our holidays to any child that needs a break, and so we will need to chat with you and your child’s school before we offer a holiday. This is to make sure that we can meet any additional needs they have, safely and appropriately within our staffing ratios.

We have a disabled access toilet and shower. However, all of our bedrooms are on the first floor of the centre. 

My child is afraid of the dark. Shall I send them with a night light and can they bring a teddy bear with them?

Teddy bears and soft toys are always welcome! We even have lots to share with anyone who arrives without one! All bedrooms have night lights. After bedtime, corridors, bathrooms and showers have low level lighting so no one gets lost on the way to the toilet!

I have more questions. Who can answer them for me?

You can ask at your child’s school. You can also call us on 01332 345424 or email us
at [email protected]