A pragmatic randomised trial of an intervention to increase childcare service implementation of healthy eating and physical activity promoting policies and practices

The intervention will seek to increase service implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices consistent with best practice Australian healthy eating and physical activity guidelines for the childcare setting, and evidence reviews of policies and practices shown to be associated with child healthy eating and physical activity Five performance review and feedback cycles will be provided to nominated supervisors across a period of 10 months. Each performance review and feedback cycle will include a written feedback report and one telephone feedback discussion. The review process will require service’s nominated supervisor (or other identified lead educator) to complete a brief telephone survey regarding current implementation of the targeted policies and practices. Using this information, feedback will be provided by a support officer (via a face-to-face visit for cycle 1 and by telephone in following cycles. Services will also receive quarterly interactive email newsletters which will communicate key messages relating to the healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices. The intervention aims to facilitate the following policies and practice changes 1. Policies: Service will be supported to develop and implement three policies; nutrition policy, physical activity policy and small screen recreation policy (if they have a TV on site). 2. Provision of information to families: Services will be supported to provide information to families from registered health authority about healthy eating, physical activity, limiting screen time. 3. Engagement in Daily fundamental movement skill (FMS) development: Services will be supported to implement a daily fundamental movement skill component into their program. 4. Healthy eating learning experiences: Services will be supported to engage children in a healthy eating learning experience two times per week. 5. Appropriate drinks: Services will be supported to provide appropriate drinks for children every day (only water and plain milk and reduced fat milk for children over 2 years of age. 6. Small screen recreation: Services will be supported to use small screen recreation within their service appropriately, by limiting use for 3 – 5 year olds for educational purposes.