I'm just after some feedback to see if I am on the right path... Any feedback would be appreciated
Case Study 1
You are working in an early childhood education and care service that asks families to provide their children’s snacks, meals and drinks for consumption throughout the day. A parent has begun sending juice in their child’s drink bottle, instead of following the service’s Food and Nutrition Policy, which states that children should only drink water when in care at the service. After discussing this with the parent, the parent begins to send colourless cordial in their child’s drink bottle.
Complete the following:
a) Which policies, typically available in an early education and care service, is this parent breaching? Identify two policies.
My Answer:
- Food and beverage policy
- Nutritional policy
- Dietary requirements policy
It is vital that all children under the care of the service have access to healthy foods and drinks that are good for their health and wellbeing. Early Childhood Service’s must have Food and Nutrition Policies, which help in promoting health and safety to children in their care. This food and nutrition policy states that children must always have access to clean drinking water throughout the day and that children should only drink water while at the centre.
Firstly, the parent is breaching the service’s food and nutrition policy, dietary requirements policy and food and beverage policy, in regards to promoting children’s health, safety and wellbeing. Parents are required to supply their children with water, however this parent continues to send their child with sugary drinks instead of complying with the centres policy.
Services must work in compliance with the with the National Quality Standard. The National Quality Standard has seven quality areas that each service implement into their service. E.g. Quality Area 2- Children's health and Safety. Services need to work in promoting healthy lifestyles, good nutrition and the wellbeing of all children by developing their own policies and procedures that clearly follows the regulations of the NQS.
National Regulations: Regulations 78-80, 168.
Regulations 79 and 80 do not apply to food and beverages provided by a parent or family member for consumption by their child. However, services where children bring their own food and beverages could promote healthy choices through strategies such as information pamphlets from recognized nutrition authorities.
b) Briefly describe three experiences you could include in the service’s educational program to promote and role model healthy eating amongst the children.
- Encourage engaging stories and games about healthy eating. Avoid offering rewards or bribes for eating their food.
- Have Educators avoid snacking on unhealthy food in front of the children. Instead they should be role modelling good mealtime behaviour
- Ensure all staff are familiar with hygiene standards, food safety laws, and nutrition principals for children.
- Ensure the environment, which children eat in, is pleasant, culturally appropriate that encourages social interaction and learning.
- Discourage parents to allow children to bring unhealthy snacks.
Case Study 5
You have just begun working in the 0-2s room at an early childhood education and care service. One of the other educators in the room is reluctant to allow the children to feed themselves and still insists on having all of the children sitting in high chairs for every meal. From your studies and professional readings, you know that children should be encouraged to develop self-help skills and be given the opportunity to experience relaxed, enjoyable mealtimes.
Complete the following:
a) Which staff members should you approach with your concerns?
As there is only one other educator there I would speak to the room leader or team leader. If they were not an option I could speak to the Assistant director (2IC)
http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/family-resour ... ncerns.pdf
b) What steps would you take to change the culture in the 0-2s room around meal times without causing conflict amongst the educators?
In your answer, state how the Belonging, Being and Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standard can be used to facilitate change and guide practice within the service.
I would ensure the children eat according to their age and how capable they are to eating and what they need to help them, a couple of things would be:
- Putting the older toddlers on chair and sitting at the tables while keeping the younger ones in high chairs
- Offering spoons to children while still helping them eat
- Getting staff to sit with a few children to assist them with their eating.
- Encourage toddler to help clean their faces and hands after meal times.
Belonging, being and Becoming – I think that every section of this book is relevant to this question. The book is all about making children confident in their surroundings and a lot able to take care of them where they can. Specifically I can reference:
Element 1.1.6 of the National Quality Standard states:
‘Each child’s agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices
and decisions and influence events and their world.’ (Guide to the
National Quality Standard, ACECQA, 2011, p. 19).
Similarly, the EYLF’s Learning Outcomes recognise the following:
ƒ ‘Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence,
resilience and sense of agency’ (Learning Outcome 1.2, p. 22).
ƒ ‘Children take increasing responsibility for their own health
and physical wellbeing’ (Learning Outcome 3.2, p. 32).
ƒ ‘Children are confident and involved learners’ (Learning Outcome 4, p. 34).
c) List three resources that you could provide to the other educator to increase their knowledge of healthy eating for under two and the benefits of allowing children to feed themselves.
http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/educator-reso ... eet_28.pdf
This website gives information on the quality meal time experiences help to ensure that children’s nutritional needs are being met; they also provide many opportunities for children to learn a broad range of skills. The learning that takes place during meal time routines can occur naturally and as part of a social occasion in which children are able to interact with each other and with you in a warm, unhurried and respectful atmosphere.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documen ... to2yrs.pdf
This is a great website on feeing Toddlers. Toddlers as they now have a mind of their own and where they start to like and dislike food can be harder than the younger children. This website outlines what they need to eat, meal time and fussy eater.
http://www.naqld.org/category/leaps/
This is also a great site for programs on not only eating but learning active play and sleep.
d) Identify for each of the age groups below, the furniture and utensils which are required to support children in their attempts to feed themselves independently during the ages:
o 6-12 months – High chair, spoon and bib
o 12-18 months – Chair maybe with a boost seat, his/her own spoon and bowl to feel themselves.
o 18 months – 2 years – Chair, own plastic cutlery
Thank you!
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