Child Care (including child care centres, family day care and outside school hours care)
Outcomes sought
- Improved environments and learning experiences in early childhood care/education settings, which promote healthy eating and active play.
- Enhanced use of childcare settings as an avenue to strengthen the knowledge and skills of parents and carers about physical activity and healthy eating (including breast-feeding).
- Increased participation of children, staff, parents and the community in creating the solutions.
2004 Actions
Health sector leadership:
- Seek a joint Call to Action with relevant Children and Family Services and Health Ministers.
- Develop, disseminate and promote physical activity guidelines for children under five.
- Disseminate, promote and implement the NHMRC Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents.
Collaboration across sectors:
- Introduce ‘good practice’ standards on healthy eating and physical activity that meet the above guidelines and build on accreditation and funding frameworks.
- Address real and perceived barriers that may limit the achievement of standards and guidelines (eg legal liability issues, food safety regulations) including education with regard to ‘perceived’ barriers.
- Implement ‘good practice’ interventions, including training for childcare workers and information and support for parents, grandparents and carers on active play and healthy eating (including breast feeding).