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Growing Healthy Families
The Growing Healthy Families programme works with early years childcare and education settings in Luton to promote and reward healthy lifestyle activities.
Introducing Growing Healthy Families
Led by experts in public health nutrition, Growing Healthy Families helps early years staff gain the knowledge and tools they need to set the foundations for children's lifelong health. The programme uses a whole-setting approach to health and wellbeing, engaging with children, staff, parents, carers and the wider community.
The Growing Healthy Families team provides support in areas such as:
- children's nutrition
- physical activity
- promoting good oral health
The programme promotes initiatives and understanding to address public health challenges in Luton. These include high childhood obesity rates and low physical activity levels, contributing to negative health outcomes and a poorer quality of life in adulthood.
Tooth decay is also a preventable issue that leads to pain, tooth cavities and in the worst cases, tooth extractions. Children in Luton are experiencing higher rates of tooth decay than the rest of England.
Support for Early Years Professionals
Growing Healthy Families offer a downloadable pack to help improve healthy lifestyle practices in nurseries, pre-schools and childminders.
The programme standards provide a framework for early years providers to create healthier environments for children, and for practitioners to be knowledgeable and confident in discussing healthy lifestyles with families.
The Self-Assessment Tool has been adapted from standards to provide a universal offer for all early years childcare and education providers. The tool includes a step-by-step guide to self-assessment, and further resources to support implementation of the standards are available below.
Please note: This programme does not lead to accreditation; it is designed as a tool to help improve practices. It is suitable for nurseries, pre-schools, and childminders, all of which are collectively referred to as early years providers in the resources below.
Download all the resources featured on this page as a pack here:
Supervised Toothbrushing Programme
All early years providers in Luton are encouraged to do daily supervised toothbrushing to improve children's oral health and help prevent tooth decay.
What does this involve?
- Brushing as part of the daily routine
- Dry brushing to make it quick and reduce mess
- Use of fluoride toothpaste
- Individual toothbrushes for each child
- Supervision by trained staff
If you want to find out whether you are eligible for free toothbrushes and toothpastes, please email us at ccs.growinghealthyfamilies@nhs.net.
Want to learn more?
If you are an early years practitioner in Luton and would like to learn more about the programme, please email ccs.growinghealthyfamilies@nhs.net. Or find us on Instagram @growinghealthyfamiliesluton or Facebook @growinghealthyfamiliesluton
Last reviewed: 1 November, 2024
