Healthy Conversations @ Playgroup: Effect of a Healthy Conversations intervention for parents, targeting healthy lifestyle behaviours and obesity in young children attending community playgroups

Healthy Conversations @ Playgroup intervention. Playgroups will be included in the study at least 4 parent-child dyads are willing to participate in the evaluation of the intervention. Playgroups will receive fortnightly intervention sessions delivered face-to-face for 10 weeks (one school term) on-site at weekly scheduled playgroup meetings. Each session will consist of two 10- to 15-minute ‘healthy conversations’ led by a trained peer facilitator. The five ‘Healthy Conversation’ session topics will focus on mealtimes, limiting screens, supporting movement skills, bedtime routines, and celebrating achievements. Who is a peer facilitator? Peer Facilitators are not researchers or health professionals, but parents with young children who have training and/or experience in communications and group work facilitation. Facilitator training will involve: a preliminary online module providing background information (duration of 30 – 45 minutes); a full day face-to-face skills-based workshop; and two follow-up webinars to check-in and assist with fidelity maintenance (duration of 30 – 45 minutes each time). What is a Healthy Conversation Intervention? A healthy conversation takes place opportunistically between parents or carers attending regularly scheduled playgroup. With the guidance of a trained peer facilitator, parents are encouraged to share and reflect on parenting challenges related to healthy eating, screen time, physical activity, and sleep – with a view towards making small but important changes to improve their child’s lifestyle and health. The conversation typically concludes with signposting to follow-up support services or information. The core skills required for a healthy conversation include open-ended questioning, reflecting on practice, listening more than talking, and supporting individual goal setting. Implementing Healthy Conversations at Playgroup During each program session, a Peer Facilitator will lead two 10- to 15-minute healthy conversations related to a specific theme. The Facilitator opens the discussion with a question for the group (conversation starter) and then guides the discussion using open-ended questions and prompts. Parents are encouraged to reflect on what they currently do as parents - the actions, behaviours and strategies they use to encourage, discourage, support, or manage their child’s health behaviours. Parents are encouraged to think about “what works” for them and “what they could do differently” to achieve a better outcome. Through group discussion, parents collectively formulate ideas and strategies to deal with specific challenges. When necessary, the Facilitator provides ideas to keep the conversation moving and on track. At the end of the discussion, the Facilitator assists participants to identify an autonomy-supportive parenting strategy and develop a plan to implement the strategy at home (SMART goal setting). After each session, playgroup participants are provided links to video presentations and evidence-based information related to the topic by text message or email, based on participant preference. For ease of access, and to encourage further discussions among playgroup members, the links are also posted on the Playgroup’s Facebook page. Process Evaluation – Assessment of Intervention Fidelity Process evaluation will incorporate: 1) adherence to implementation via completion of a checklist at the end of each session by the facilitator; and 2) participant responsiveness via session and program feedback surveys from peer facilitators and participants. Evaluation of outcomes Assessors will fit children with an accelerometer on the non-dominant wrist and ask them to wear it for seven consecutive days (24 hours per day) immediately following T1-T3 assessments.