2.3 Setting goals and being realistic

Sometimes knowing where to begin with health promotion in a setting can be a challenge. Staff may feel that they don’t have time to take on what may seem like additional work. This is where good communication can help to solve this challenge. To illustrate this point, in Session 5, you looked at how health promoting activities are embedded in many of the aims and principles in the curricula and frameworks of each of the 4 nations of the UK. Conveying the message to staff that implementing such aims and principles can have a positive effect in promoting children’s health may be helpful.

Outlining some of the possible benefits to children, such as positive changes in behaviour, and less illness, can help to gain buy in from staff.

And as you heard in the video, it’s important to look at what is already being done to promote children’s health. You may already be doing more than you realise.

When planning health promotion activities be realistic and don’t try to do too many things at the same time. The 5 Steps in the Toolkit, as discussed in more detail in Session 6, have been created to help you to identify aims.

Outlining the benefits to parents and staff can help to overcome some of the challenges that may arise in relation to gaining cooperation. It’s important to be realistic and be aware that there is a need to dedicate time and resources to health promotion. This is another reason why it’s helpful not to try and do too many new things at the same time.

So far, the content of this session has looked at some of the challenges and possible solutions experienced by Karen and Nicola when looking at ways to improve and make children’s eating and drinking healthier. The following section looks at other contemporary conditions relating to children’s health, focusing on childhood obesity, oral health, communicable diseases, specifically looking at vaccine hesitancy, and poor mental health.