Health Promotion

Central Coast Local Health District NSW

Health Promotion

Go4Fun

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Welcome to the Central Coast Go4Fun Programs

Go4Fun is a FREE and fun program to assist your children and family with healthy eating tips and increasing overall physical activity and fitness.

All programs are run once a week for ten weeks each school term.

Each child receives a Go4Fun welcome pack, and at the end of the program you’ll receive a report showing all the great changes your child has made to their health.

Register here today to see the benefits for your child and family.

Find out more about Go4fun here.

Call 1800 780 900 to register for a program today.

Go4Fun Locations 

– Term 2

 

School Term Dates 

2022

 
     1.     28 January – 8 April 
     2.     26 April – 1 July 
     3.    18 July – 23 September 
     4.    10 October – 20 December 
  

There are now three versions of the program:

  • Standard Go4Fun®
  • Aboriginal Go4Fun®
  • Go4Fun Online

 

Go4Fun Online

Go4Fun Online is a free 10 week program for families with a child/children between 7-13 years old who are above a healthy weight. Parents and children view weekly online sessions (at a time convenient to the family), receive weekly phone support from a Go4Fun coach and participate in lots of fun activities.

Program resources are also mailed to families throughout the program including some great freebies for the kids to encourage active play.

Register here for Go4Fun online today.

Aboriginal Go4Fun

Aboriginal Go4Fun is a culturally adapted version for Aboriginal families. The program was developed in partnership with Aboriginal communities and delivered by local Aboriginal organisations together with NSW Health. The program encourages the whole community to join in.

It’s important that a parent or carer comes to every session, so your family can make the most of the program. If parents or carers can’t attend, grandparents, aunties, uncles and adult siblings are also welcome.

Register here for Aboriginal Go4Fun today.

 

How healthy is your childcare menu?

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If you’ve ever wondered if your early childhood education and care service menu is nutritionally adequate, or worry about having your service’s menu checked by others for accreditation, then worry no more.

12-step tutorial video

We’ve made it easy for you with our 12-step menu assessment video. In 10 minutes you’ll learn how to tell if your menu complies with the nutrition checklist found in NSW Health’s Caring for Children: Birth to 5 years – giving you peace of mind that children are getting the required 50% of their everyday nutritional needs while in your care.

The video provides a helpful tutorial not just for cooks, but all educators wanting to provide the best nutrition for the children at their centre. Additionally, if you’re a health promotion officer wishing to assess the menu of an early childhood service you work with, you’ll be able to use the video to help guide you through the process and award it a star rating.

By the end of the video, you’ll know what it takes for a menu to achieve a 4.5 or 5-star rating and thereby comply with the nutrition checklist found in Caring for Children.

What you’ll need

The video uses a case study to walk you through the process. You can download the case study sample menu and sample menu information sheet here to follow during the video. Together, we’ll check whether the menu provides enough iron, fruit and vegetables, breads and cereals, dairy and protein foods.

To review your own service’s menu, you’ll need a copy of the two-week menu cycle planning tool, found on page 93 in Caring for Children. Either photocopy the planning tool from your book, or simply download the planning tool and print it off. In order to make your service’s menu assessment easier and more accurate, you should also complete your own menu information cover sheet*. Now you’re ready to watch the video and follow the 12 easy steps.

*The menu information cover sheet provides important information that doesn’t normally appear on the menu itself, such as the quantities of the various food groups purchased each week, and types of flour and crackers being used.

Watch the video

Watch the video, How to access the nutritional value of a childcare menu in 12 easy steps, below.

Further support

Please note, while we encourage ECEC services to assess their own menu, on the Central Coast we also welcome services to send their menu and menu information cover sheet to the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) Nutrition Services team for review. Completing your own review is a great exercise in developing an understanding of how to plan a healthy menu. We are here to assist you though, and also want to recognise services with menus that do comply with the nutrition checklist found in Caring for Children.

If you would like CCLHD Nutrition Services to review your menu, please send your menu and menu information cover sheet to [email protected]

Related links

Munch & Move main

Munch & Move newsletters

Munch & Move workshops

 

Breastfeeding

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2021–2022 World Breastfeeding Week Art Competition.


Calling all artists!


Once again we are offering the breastfeeding art competition to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2021 in 2022 and encourage our Central Coast community to take part.


Artworks are due by 10th April 2022.


For more information and to enter, click here.


 


Why breastfeed?


Breastfeeding is important for mother and baby health. Any amount of breast milk offered to your baby is good.


In Australia, it is recommended that infants are exclusively* breastfed until around six months of age when solid foods are introduced, and that breastfeeding is continued until 12 months of age and beyond, for as long as the mother and child desire.1


*Infant receives only breast milk. No other liquids or solids are given, not even water, with the exception of oral rehydration solution, or drops/syrups of vitamins, minerals or medicines.






Breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean and contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that infants need for around the first six months of life. From six to 12 months breastmilk continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs and up to one third of a child’s nutritional needs between 12 months and two years.


Breastfed children are less likely to be overweight or obese and less prone to diabetes later in life. Women who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers.


Need help with breastfeeding?


Breastfeeding is a learned skill, which needs practice. The more you feed your baby, the easier it will get. More information and support is available from the following:


Breastfeeding Education Live – online sessions




Interactive breastfeeding education webinar sessions for expectant parents. Learn and practice how breastfeeding works. Click here for more information


CCLHD breastfeeding support clinics


These breastfeeding support sessions for Central Coast residents are run by child and family health nurses to support, protect and promote breastfeeding. Click here for community health centre locations and times.


Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA)


Call the Breastfeeding Helpline on 1800 686 268. This helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and staffed by trained, volunteer counsellors.


The ABA website provides a range of resources to support, educate and advocate for a breastfeeding inclusive society. You can hire a breast pump through ABA.


The mum2mum app provides breastfeeding information and support based on your baby or child’s age.


Raising Children Network


An Australian parenting website that provides articles, videos and interactive resources tailored to different ages and stages. Breastfeeding information can be found in the ‘newborn’ and ‘babies’ tabs.


MotherSafe


For women and healthcare providers concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. more information, click here or call 1800 647 848.


Other support for breastfeeding




Five ways family and friends can support a mother to breastfeed


    

  1. Offer encouragement.
    2. 

  2. Help with the baby between feeds, and older children in the family, to allow the mother to rest or nap.
    3. 

  3. Make nutritious meals and snacks to help increase her energy.
    4. 

  4. Help with cleaning and other jobs around the house to decrease these responsibilities.
    5. 

  5. Find breastfeeding friendly meeting places.
    6. 



Dads can sign up to SMS4dads and receive free text messages sent straight to their phone containing tips, information and links to other services to help fathers understand and connect with their baby and support their partner.


Grandparents play an important part in the encouragement and support of breastfeeding. More information for grandparents can be found here.


There are no benefits to starting solid foods before around six months. Starting too early can contribute to a decrease in breast milk production. Starting Family Foods provides current advice on introducing your baby to solid foods.


Support for breastfeeding in public


We are breastfeeding friendlyLook for the ‘We Are Breastfeeding Friendly’ sticker in Central Coast businesses and facilities that are supportive of mothers’ breastfeeding on their premises. There are more than 300 on the Central Coast helping to promote a positive attitude towards breastfeeding in the community.


If you have a business or know of a business that is breastfeeding friendly and would like to participate, contact Nutrition Services, Central Coast Local Health District for free breastfeeding friendly stickers and kit. Call 4320 2251.


References


1National health and Medical Research Council 2012, Infant Feeding Guidelines, Canberra. National Health and Medical Research Council.


Quick Meals for Kooris


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Quick Meals for Kooris is a ‘hands-on’ cooking program, developed to assist Aboriginal people prepare easy, low-cost family meals using available ingredients. Allowing time to cook, eat and share ideas and knowledge is an important part of this program.


 


Check out this short video to find out more about the Quick Meals for Kooris program and how it can be adopted in your organisation. 


“I’ve used the training to show other people how to cook inexpensive meals.”


Lynne Clarke, volunteer, San Remo Neighbourhood Centre.


“What I love about Quick Meals for Kooris is the recipes are simple and easy to make in your home, the ingredients are available in all shops, and honestly, some of the standard ingredients are in your cupboard today, right now.”


Kerry Groves, volunteer, San Remo Neighbourhood Centre


Quick Meals for Kooris is designed to be run by Aboriginal health workers or Aboriginal community members. This versatile program can be adapted to suit participant needs, resources and capacity of leaders. Program ‘leaders’ will not need extensive nutrition knowledge or food preparation skills as the Quick Meals for Kooris – Trainers Manual provides detailed guidance.  Recipes included in the program are in the Quick Meals for Kooris – At Home book. It is intended that all group participants are given a copy of this book. This book is also a stand-alone resource and can be provided to people who do not attend a program.




 



 


*NEW* Quick Meals for Kooris recipe videos


You can watch how to prepare four of the quick, easy and low-cost recipes from the Quick Meals for Kooris at Home book.


Watch the videos below and download the recipes and methods.



Thank you to Mitch Ella, Steve Ella, Tyra McEwen and Jenni McEwen for featuring in the videos.




Tell us what you think of these videos here!




Download the video recipes below:




Family Mince





Chicken Pasta





Vegetable Slice





Fruit Crumble




For more information, hard copy resources or support with nutrition training contact Lesley Marshall on (02) 4320 3691 or email [email protected].


School Gardens


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Having a garden can help your school to promote environmental and sustainable learning as well as encourage healthy eating and physical activity. It is a fun way to learn outside and provides students with a hands-on opportunity to prepare, eat and share the food they have grown.


Participation in a school garden program has been shown to help improve knowledge and confidence in relation to growing, preparing, cooking and eating a diverse range of fresh foods among Australian children.1


Can my school have a kitchen garden?


Any school can have some sort of garden or kitchen, regardless of their site, size, resources, gardening experience or classroom space.

How to start a kitchen garden




Kitchen gardening for sustainability




 
Patch to Plate is a free recipe book developed by the Central Coast Health Promotion Service that includes healthy and simple recipes that local teachers have made with their students using fresh ingredients from their own school gardens. Check out and download below to try these tasty recipes at school or at home.


You can also watch and share how to prepare four of our delicious recipes from the Patch to Plate book in the videos below!


Watch the videos below and download the recipes and methods.
Tell us what you think of these videos here!






Beetroot Hummus 



Rice Paper Rolls 



Fritters 



Gozleme 


Central Coast School Garden Interest Group


The Central Coast School Garden Interest Group (CCSGIG) aims to share ideas and connect Central Coast schools with an interest in school gardens and cooking. Healthy eating, encouraging physical activity and providing an interest for students rather than using small screen technology underpins the group’s philosophy.


The group meets twice each year, with a different school hosting the meeting and sharing its experiences. This year, we are considering new ways to connect as a group – if you have any suggestions, get in touch!


Join the School Garden Interest Group for information on workshops, events and new resources.




You can also join our Facebook group.


 




If you have a question contact Nina Kingon at 4320 9715 or [email protected] or for updates from the Central Coast School Garden Interest Group join the mailing list here.


References


1Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au