Childcare providers and parents have called for clearer guidance on what under-fives should eat and drink while they’re in childcare, according to a new report published today.
The review, from a panel of independent experts, highlights confusion about how to make sure young children in childcare are being given the right foods to meet their nutritional needs.
The panel, which was commissioned by Government and supported by the School Food Trust, found significant demand for a recognised, national source of practical guidance that all childcare providers can choose to follow.
Using such guidance would mean children are given the right types of foods in portion sizes appropriate to their nutritional needs, while parents would have a national benchmark to help them choose a childcare place for their child.
It comes after the latest figures from the National Child Measurement Programme, which showed that almost a quarter of children (23.1%) are overweight or obese by the time they start school.
Chair of the panel, Consultant Paediatrician Dr Anthony Williams, said: “The message from childcare providers is clear. They want to feed children well and know that it’s vital to start healthy eating habits early, but at the moment they have no clear advice on how to achieve this in practice.
“In this report we show how providers could be more certain that they’re meeting their children’s nutritional needs. It would save staff time on researching and developing menus, and would help parents know what to look for if they want to be sure their children are well-fed in childcare.
“It’s never too early for children to start eating well; in fact it’s critical if we’re going to help them grow up to be healthy. But unless all childcare providers get a better steer on what they should be offering, children in different settings will continue to have very different food experiences – and a very different start to learning about what foods are good for them.”
The panel found that whilst there is much good work already being done by many childcare providers, current research suggests that some are giving young children food which is more appropriate for older children and adults. This can mean children eat too little energy, carbohydrate and essential minerals such as iron and zinc, and too much salt and sugar.
Healthier eating before the age of five plays a vital role in promoting good nutritional health, and better eating at school. Almost a quarter of children are either overweight or obese when they join reception class; Type 2 diabetes is appearing,and dental health in young children is deteriorating.
The Advisory Panel on Food and Nutrition in Early Years included nutritionists, policy advisors and national organisations representing children’s centres, childminders and maintained, private, voluntary and independent nurseries. Their report also contains a series of other recommendations which have been submitted to Government as part of the wider review of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
They include:
- A commitment that providing healthy, balanced and nutritious food and drink must continue to be a statutory component of the Early Years Foundation Stage for children’s welfare, and should be seen as integral to children’s learning and development
- A call for the development of resources, training and tools that will help childcare providers evaluate how they are doing on providing nutritious food and drink, to support the new recommended guidance
- The offer of training for anyone working with children in childcare on providing nutritious meals and snacks for children, and on working with families to meet children’s nutritional requirements.
- Access to a registered public health nutritionist or dietitian for all local authorities wanting advice for childcare providers on using the recommended guidance
- A commitment to sharing the recommended guidance with any type of childcare provider – both regulated and unregulated – to ensure advice on food and nutrition for under-fives is consistent
- A call for the gathering of nationally representative evidence on provision and consumption of food and drink in early years settings, providing a baseline against which the impact of introducing clearer guidance might be evaluated
The panel’s full report: ‘Laying the Table: Recommendations for National Food and Nutrition Guidance for Early Years Settings in England’ can be downloaded from the panel’s webpage .
Members of the Advisory Panel on Food and Nutrition in Early Years:
Anthony Williams (Chair) – Reader in Child Nutrition and Consultant in Neonatal Paediatrics, St George’s, University of London
Sue Coates, Director of Communications, National Childminding Association
Helen Crawley – Reader in Nutrition Policy, Centre for Food Policy City University and Director of Caroline Walker Trust
Lucy Cooke – Senior Research Associate, University College London
Kate Groucutt – Policy Director, Daycare Trust
Susan Jebb – Nutrition Scientist, Medical Research Council, Human Nutrition Research
Neil Leitch – Chief Executive, Pre-school Learning Alliance
Helen Moylett – Senior Director, Early Years, National Strategies
Julia Neall – Together for Children, Local Programme Advisor for South West
Sue Owen – Director, Well-being, National Children’s Bureau
Claire Schofield – Director of Membership, Policy and Communications, National Day Nurseries Association
Jessica Williams – Paediatric Dietitian and Early Years Health Promotion Specialist, Directorate of Public Health, NHS Bristol and British Dietetic Association
Louise Allen – Nutrition Executive, Food and Drink Federation
Further Reading
Advisory Panel on Food and Nutrition in Early Years
A NEW report ‘Laying the Table. Recommendations for National Food and Nutrition Guidance for Early Years Settings in England’ has been published.
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/apfney
