Session 5: Policies and curricula: global and national initiatives to promote babies and children’s health

Introduction

Improving the health of babies and children is a global endeavour. As discussed in Session 1, encouraging good habits that promote health has many benefits to children and society. This session, you will look at some key initiatives aimed at improving children’s health from across the planet. Global initiatives such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Sustainable Development Goals; non-governmental organisations and the World Health Organisation will be discussed. Many countries address the health of babies and children through education, both in pre-school education and care settings and school settings. The content will explore examples of highly regarded early childhood curricula, such as New Zealand’s Te Whariki, and explain how this curriculum promotes babies and young children’s health. Some examples of how the curricula of the four nations of the UK address health will be included.

As well as exploring the policies that are in existence, you will look at suggestions of how the introduction of new policies could help to promote children’s health. The role and influence of the food industry and advertising is examined.