Pioneering scheme ensures healthy start in life for pre-school children

37 pre-school settings from across Bridgend County Borough are taking part in the Healthy and Sustainable Pre-School Scheme which helps to promote positive health behaviours from an early age.

Day nurseries, Flying Start settings, playgroups, childminders and Cylchoedd Meithrin providers (Welsh-medium) have all signed up to the scheme to ensure this important message reaches a wide range of children.

Funded by Welsh Government and co-ordinated by Bridgend County Borough Council’s Childcare Team in partnership with Public Health Wales, the scheme covers several aspects of health, including active play/physical activity, emotional health, wellbeing, hygiene, safety, nutrition and oral health.

Flying Start Plasnewydd, Flying Start Bettws, Standing to Grow Playgroup and The Children’s Day Nursery have all recently completed the scheme and have spoken positively about the benefits of the programme.

Staff from Flying Start Bettws, said: “We are extremely proud to have completed this scheme as it has benefited our practice in so many ways and has helped us to achieve excellent in all four areas of our Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) inspection.

“We have changed our snack menu to ensure a well-balanced diet. For example, we grow our own vegetables and the children are happy to try everything that is on offer whilst following an excellent hygiene regime. Parents/carers have also enjoyed the links we have made with our home link character ‘Dewi the dragon’ which is in place to help them build on our work and continue the promotion of healthy lifestyles in their own homes.”

The benefits of the scheme are also positively spoken about by staff from The Children’s Day Nursery: “Since diving into this fantastic scheme, we have witnessed significant improvements in the health and well-being of not only our lovely children but also for ourselves as a staffing team.

“We have noticed so many changes and improvements within our environment such as a more positive approach to healthy eating, some of our ‘fussy’ eaters have been exploring new and tasty food, our children love to contribute with cooking activities and our staff have been much more active and have been fantastic role models for our children. The scheme has been a pioneering initiative aimed at fostering healthier environments and practices within our nursery setting. “Healthy children make happy children!”

Cllr Jon-Paul Blundell, Cabinet Member for Education, added: “It’s great to see that so many pre-school children from the across the county borough have access to this crucial programme which makes sure children are given an early education on the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

“It’s particularly pleasing that aspects of this scheme are now carried out by our pre-school settings as part of their everyday routine and that home links are also included to further reinforce this important message.”