Grow and Go experts discuss: Food insecurity in ECEC

Let’s imagine we are in your centre. Choose a group of ten children, up to three of them could be hungry, and almost half of their families feel anxious about having enough food. This is what food insecurity looks like in Australia today.

 

Everyone deserves food security, which is when all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Food insecurity, however, is when something is happening that means that someone cannot eat enough food or the right kind of foods for an active and healthy life.  

 

When children experience food insecurity, it can negatively impact their physical and emotional health. It increases the likelihood of asthma, iron-deficiency anaemia, and being an unhealthy weight. It can lead to emotional changes and affect school readiness, academic achievement, and physical activity participation.

 

For advice and guidance, we spoke with Dr Helen Truby and Stella Boyd-Ford from UQ’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences the Grow&Go Toolbox team recently released a new podcast that offers expert information on early childhood nutrition

 

Each episode focuses on a different nutrition topic and provides practical tips and advice.

 

In addition to the podcasts, the Grow&Go Toolbox team has co-created a range of resources with families and health and education professionals, including digital and paper-based resources that educators can use to assist with common queries and issues encountered during mealtimes in ECEC. 

Be kind and sensitive

 

Be curious and ask sensitive questions. Don’t assume a family is experiencing food insecurity – food insecurity can differ from household to household. 

 

Your families will often remember how you made them feel more than what you specifically said or did to help. 

 

Make sure you keep confidential information within your supervisory relationships. Don’t judge the family’s food struggles or engage in gossip about them with others.  

Avoid strict lunchbox policies

 

Healthy might look different for everyone, and parents likely already know their child’s lunchbox could be better. It may be the best they can do right now.  For some communities, healthy food is more expensive than processed food.

Advocate for centre pantries and breakfasts

 

Consider if your centre or attached school could run a school breakfast program through a local provider. Perhaps your community could come together with a shared community “just in case” pantry that is available to all. Consider placing it in a private space, where parents and carers don’t feel shamed or judged for using it.

Signpost support services

 

Provide details of local agencies providing food security assistance and include them in your newsletter so that they’re available for all families to access. You can also share the Grow&Go Toolbox’s resource, Making a meal out of an almost empty fridge.

 

If you’re concerned, suggest that the family speak to a local maternal, child, and family health nurse for advice using the Grow& Go Toolbox’s “Find a Health Professional Tool”.

 

These tips, and many more, are shared in the Grow&Go Toolbox Podcast episode titled Food Insecurity. Access it on YouTube here, or via Spotify here.

 

Resources that support this episode include:

 

• Grow and Go Toolbox’s Making a meal on an almost empty fridge
• Find a Food Aid program near you
• https://aifs.gov.au/resources/practice-guides/food-insecurity-australia-what-it-who-experiences-it-and-how-can-child

 

For more advice or support visit the Grow&Go Toolbox at www.growandgotoolbox.com or follow us on social media.