Healthy living in Southern NSW

Fussy eating can be challenging. When children refuse to try new foods or eat what has been served, it's part of their development and growing independence. Try these ideas to help your child develop healthy eating behaviours.

Have set mealtime routines

• Establish set times for meals and snacks. This can prepare your child for lunch and recess times at school.
• Remove distractions from the table such as toys, books and screens (television, tablets, phones).
• Eat as a family and keep mealtimes relaxed and calm.
• Provide small portions and allow your child to have more if they wish.

Encourage your child’s interest in new foods

• Avoid labelling your child as fussy or picky.
• Encourage your child to look, touch and smell new foods.
• Make meals and snacks interesting by including different colours, shapes and textures.
• Invite your child to plant, water and harvest produce from the garden.
• Involve your child in meal planning, food shopping, preparation and cooking. Allow them to choose some foods such as a new fruit or vegetable or suitable meal for dinner.

Role model, be positive and don’t give up!

• Eat and enjoy a variety of healthy foods yourself.
• Tastes change over time – be patient and offer new foods regularly.
• Praise your child when they have touched, smelt or tasted a new food.
• Resist promising rewards for eating, such as dessert. Link food to a positive benefit such as energy for playing, protein for growing muscles, calcium for strong teeth and bones.

Further information

For general information on fussy eating, contact our Population Health team. 

To connect with a health professional at one of our local Community Health services contact Community Health Central Intake service. They can help you find the best care to meet your needs.

Looking for lunchbox ideas? Try one of our healthy recipes for easy, healthy snacks and lunches.

For more resources and information visit Healthy school lunchboxes or contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support you to make healthy lunchboxes at your school. 

All NSW public schools are required to follow the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy (the Strategy) and non-government schools are strongly encouraged to participate.

The Food and Drink Criteria is the foundation for the Strategy and provides an outline for a healthy school canteen. We can help your school meet the benchmark.

Our Health Promotion Officers can help you and your school:

• understand what the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy means for your school
• prepare an action plan for transitioning to the strategy
• connect with training opportunities for canteen managers, school staff and the parents and citizens
• prepare an application for the NSW School Canteen Menu Check Service
• promote your canteen’s achievements.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support you to make healthy lunchboxes at your school. 

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

Healthy living supports children’s healthy growth and development and can help them do their best at school. Live Life Well @ School is available to all NSW primary schools. A dedicated local Health Promotion Officer (HPO) can help you to put nutrition and physical activity programs in place at your school. 

Resources to support your school

• Sustainable Schools NSW provides free teaching and learning resources about the environment and sustainability. Join the Sustainable Schools Network to connect, share and learn with other teachers and schools.
• OzHarvest FEAST Program is a free 10-week curriculum-aligned education program for primary and high schools, which explores the issue of food waste and its environmental impact, positive food choices and easy classroom cooking.
• Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program offers food education which inspires children and young people to understand and connect with fresh, seasonal, delicious food through fun, hands-on learning in the kitchen and garden.
• Crunch&Sip® is program that sets classroom breaks for students to eat fruit (or salad and vegetables) and drink water. The idea is to help kids re-fuel.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support your school.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

Munch & Move is an evidence-based program available to all early childhood education and care services (ECECs) in NSW, including family day care. Services receive free information, tools and support to help children be more active and eat well while in care.

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Video transcript

Celebrating 10 years of Munch & Move – Braidwood Preschool

[Music]

[Emma Wooley speaks]

Today we're celebrating 10 years of New South Wales Health Munch and Move here at Braidwood Preschool.

[Kathy Toirkens speaks]

Braidwood Preschool's proud to have participated in the Munch and Move program.

Most of our educators have been through the training program which is fantastic.

We have implemented the key messages through activities with the children and with parents.

Healthy vegetables from our vegetable garden, lots of games and songs and we're very happy to be able to implement those things with our children.

[Music]

Ready to get started?

Early childhood education and care services (ECECs) can access free and ongoing support from our local Munch & Move support officers. Contact the Munch & Move team at Southern NSW Local Health District for local support.

You can also join our Munch & Move® mailing list to receive program information, tips and ideas to support your service.

Southern NSW has a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, as the region covers an area from the warm, mild and temperate coast to the cool sub- alpine regions. Seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables are good for you, taste great and are often cheaper too. 

Why is it important to eat food that’s in season?

Seasonality of food refers to the times of year when the harvest or the flavour of a given type food is at its peak. 

• Peak harvest time usually means the flavour of fruits and vegetables is at its best. This is also the time when the item is the cheapest and the freshest in the market.
• Seasonal vegetables are fresher, tastier and more nutritious than food consumed out of season. The best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly from a local grower shortly after harvest.
• Purchasing locally grown foods helps support local farms and maintains farmland and open space in your community.

Further information

Download the What’s in Season in Southern NSW? poster (PDF,1.46MB)

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support your school canteen to provide seasonal food, or for resources to support your school’s kitchen garden.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

No matter what their level of ability, being physically active is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Remember, doing any physical activity is better than doing none.

Daily unrestricted active play is important and can help young children to:

• build social and emotional bonds
• learn about how their bodies work
• develop their senses, good strength, balance, and posture.

Physically active play helps young children to:

• maintain a healthy body weight
• develop strong bones and essential movement skills.

Find ways to add physical activity and limit sedentary behaviour in your own day and be a good role model for your children. All forms of play are important; but active play is the most appropriate form of physical activity.

Young children can actively play by doing:

• everyday tasks: climbing steps, helping tidy up, gardening, or unpacking the shopping.
• unstructured activity: lying and rolling on the floor, dancing to music, chasing, or climbing.
• structured activity: games like incy-wincy spider, kicking a ball, hide-and-seek, or games played in pre-school.
• active travel: walking, pedalling, or using a scooter to get from place to place. 

What about screens?

TVs, smart devices, DVDs and computer games may be popular with children, but usually involve sitting for long periods of time.

Regardless of how active your children may be at other times; it is still important to limit screen time.

Active travel is good for health, as is a way of being active in your normal daily routine. You can help your school community include walking, cycling and scootering into their day, and prepare students for a lifetime of casual physical activity.

Benefits of active travel

Children's health benefits greatly when they actively travel to local places they regularly go to. 

While living in a rural area can present challenges in active travel to school, schools can equip students with the skills they need to become active travellers later in life.

The benefits include:

• positive self-esteem
• learning safe mobility
• improved concentration
• increased independence
• increased physical activity.

Resources to promote active travel at your school

1. National Ride2School Day: is held every year in Term 1, this day is an opportunity for students, parents and teachers to try riding, walking, skating or scooting to school as well as celebrating the regular walkers and riders.
2. National Walk Safely to School Day: is held every year during Term 2, this day is when all primary school children are encouraged to walk and commute safely to school.
3. Safety Town: is an interactive road safety education program based on Transport for NSW’s main road safety messages for school students in Stage 3. Safety Town is available to all NSW primary school teachers and students and families.
4. Road Safety Education officers: in the Department of Education, the Catholic Schools NSW and Association of Independent Schools NSW provide schools with road safety educational resources and professional development.
5. Your council’s Road Safety Officer can help you create a safe environment for walking and cycling to school by:
   • promoting driver compliance with 40km/h school zones and when passing a school bus
   • supporting local enforcement of school zones
   • working with parents and school communities to promote safer parking around schools.

Further information

Go to the NSW Health website for more active travel resources.

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support active travel at your school.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) are the foundational base upon which all other sports and movement skills are built. Examples of FMS include running, jumping, catching and overhand throwing.

Children who lack FMS ability are less likely to gain skills in complex and sports-specific movement in their growing years. This can be a barrier to the pursuit and enjoyment of physical activity or sports among youths and adults.

How to improve FMS at your school

1. Fundamental Movement Skills Planning Guide: outlines when each FMS should be introduced, consolidated and mastered for students.
2. Free online training: the NSW Department of Education offers free online training for schools on FMS. Go to the MyPL website and search for 'Live Life Well @ School' or email LLWS@det.nsw.edu.au
3. Fundamental Movement Skills in Action: supports K-6 teachers with easy-to-print resources to teach the 12 fundamental movement skills.
4. Independent schools can access support from a team of consultants at the Association of Independent Schools of NSW.
5. NSW Department of Education’s Physical Literacy Continuum K-10: supports quality teaching, learning, assessment and reporting practices in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE).
6. NSW Department of Education's Physical Literacy Continuum glossary: helps schools to establish a consistent physical literacy language.
7. NSW School Sports Unit: provides a range of online, face-to-face and school-based workshops to support teaching of FMS. 
8. Kindergarten to Year 6 PDHPE sample units and assessments support delivery and assessment of physical education as part of PDHPE.
9. The NSW PDHPE Curriculum Pinterest boards: puts together relevant resources to support various aspects of physical education.
10. The Playing For Life: are resources containing a variety of games (including activity cards) designed to develop the skills across a range of physical activities.

You can help your school’s Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association raise money for your school while promoting health and wellbeing.

Healthy fundraising can return a good profit and many organisations have had great success. Here are some healthy fundraising ideas:

• Multicultural food day: Encourage community participation by asking each family to donate a recipe traditional to their culture. The canteen can then serve these dishes to the students for lunch for a donation.
• Apple slinky machines: apple slinky machines peel, core and slice apples in one step into a long slinky. They make eating apples fun. Schools can sell slinky machines to parents as a fundraiser, making $10 on each machine sold.
• Healthy snacks day: set up a fruit stall to support an existing event and try selling fruit skewers, fruit smoothies, or frozen 100% fruit juice icy poles.
• Healthy cookbooks: ask teachers, parents and students to submit their favourite healthy recipes with a photo of the dish. Combine these recipes and photos to create a school cookbook and take orders to have it published.
• Discos: use the local school hall or council hall to have a Friday night disco, with a small entry fee to raise money for the school. Ask a local DJ to volunteer in exchange for free advertising in the school newsletter. You could also sell healthy treats on the evening to raise some extra cash.
• Walk-a-thon or fun run: it costs very little to set-up, you could charge a participation fee or asking the participants to raise sponsorship money from friends and family. Invite family members, staff and the local community to participate.

We can help your school's parents and citizens to:

• promote your school's healthy achievements
• understand their obligations under the Department of Education’s Nutrition in Schools Policy
• implement the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy
• plan healthy fundraisers to support your school’s health and wellbeing program.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team to learn how we can support your school's parents and citizens.

Dental health resources for pre-schools and schools

The NSW Oral Health Promotion Network has developed resources specifically for the early childhood sector. The resources can be downloaded from the NSW Health website or order free hard copies of posters and brochures for your service.

Here are some helpful resources:

• Little Smiles is a dental health resource package that aims to reduce tooth decay in children aged 0-5 years.
• Health Smart Deadly Art Project at the Greater Southern Area Health Service utilised visual art to develop Aboriginal culturally appropriate education resources to promote dental health. Download posters from the NSW Health website.
• Protecting Tiny Teeth is a digital resource for parents and carers to learn about the prevention of tooth decay in babies, toddlers and infants. Early childhood educators can request a free DVD copy.

Further information

Visit the NSW Health website for more dental health resources.

Contact our Population Health team to discuss how we can support your service.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

Supported playgroups can provide engaging, educational and fun healthy eating and active play activities at the group session.

They also encourage carers/families to practice healthy eating and active play at home. Playgroup facilitators can access free resources to help their families to eat healthy food and participate in active play.

What is a supported playgroup?

Supported Playgroups provide a structured and positive learning environment for parents and children (aged 0-5 years) who would not normally access a playgroup.

Supported playgroups help increase skills and confidence and to develop valuable social and family support networks. These groups usually meet once a week for 2 hours and are facilitated by a trained early childhood worker.

The Supported Playgroup Coordinator may also assist parents by providing parenting information and referrals to other health and community services.

Further information

Contact our Population Health team for help in supporting families to eat healthy food and participate in active play with a playgroup. 

Our Population Health team supports Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) services (also known as OOSH or OOSCA services) to promote healthy eating and physical activity to children and their families.

OSHC resources:

• Eat Smart Play Smart Manual: supports OSHC directors and educators to promote healthy eating and physical activity, as part of developing a curriculum that enhances children’s learning and development.
• Eat Smart Play Smart has recently been revised by the Heart Foundation NSW Division, NSW Office of Preventive Health and Network of Community Activities to reflect the current Australian Dietary Guidelines, the Australian Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children and the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education.

Further information

Go to the NSW Health website for more OOSH resources and guidelines.

Contact our Population Health team to discuss how we can support your service.

Join our Live Life Well @ School email list for regular updates on our school-based programs.

The StEPS program is a scientifically based, free vision screening program for 4-year-old children in NSW. 

Southern NSW Local Health District (LHD) provides free vision screening to all 4-year-old children prior to school entry. The aim is to identify childhood vision problems early so that treatment outcomes can be maximised.

Screening takes place across Southern NSW LHD through preschools, long day care services, and selected Community Health Centres. Download our StEPS Consent and Report Form

Contact our StEPS Coordinator for booking enquiries SNSWLHD-StEPS@health.nsw.gov.au

The Get Healthy Service® is a free evidence-based phone and online NSW Health coaching service supporting people over 16 years of age living in NSW to make lifestyle changes.  

The program can support people to:

• eat better
• be physically active
• reduce alcohol consumption
• reach and stay at a healthy weight
• gain a healthy amount of weight in pregnancy

Visit gethealthynsw.com.au for further information, or call 1300 806 258 Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.

Get Healthy in Pregnancy program is a free evidence-based phone and online NSW Health coaching service for pregnant women. Qualified health coaches provide support and tools to help women stay healthy during their journey through pregnancy and beyond.

The program can support pregnant women to:

• set and achieve goals
• eat well and be physically active
• avoid alcohol
• gain a healthy amount of weight in pregnancy
• keep on track and motivated
• achieve a healthy weight after birth

Visit gethealthynsw.com.au/pregnancy for further information, or call 1300 806 258 Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.

Challenge to Change (formerly the NSW Aboriginal Knockout Health Challenge) is a community-led, 10-week health program run by Mob, for Mob, right here in NSW. It's all about communities leading the way, with local teams stepping up to run activities that keep their Mob strong and healthy in ways that matter to them. Whether it's strengthening social connections, getting active or eating better, this program is all about supporting each other to make deadly changes, together.

Tobacco smoking is the greatest single cause of premature death and is a leading preventable cause of morbidity (illness and/or disease) in NSW. We can help you to quit smoking. Ask at your appointment or contact the NSW Quitline for support.

Services that can support you to quit smoking and/or tobacco use, include:

NSW Quitline

The NSW Quitline is a confidential telephone information and advice service. 

Professional telephone advisors support you with encouragement and resources to help smokers to quit. The advisors are friendly, helpful, non-judgemental and are able help smokes at any stage in the quitting process. 

Advisors also support and advise families, friends and/or carers of smokers, and health professionals, and includes the best evidence for quitting smoking.

Learn more about NSW Quitline or call 13 7848 (13 QUIT) to speak to a Quitline counsellor. You can also leave a message and request for a call back. 

iCanQuit

iCanQuit provides you with information and tools to help you give quitting a proper go. The interactive website allows you to share your story about your previous, current or planned attempts to quit. 

It also supports you with helpful tips on how to quit, a goal tracker and savings calculator so you can track your progress. 

Support for patients: managing nicotine dependence in hospital

All buildings and grounds in the Southern NSW Local Health District are smoke free and follow the NSW Health Smoke-free Care Policy.

This means:

• smokers who are patients and/or visitors cannot smoke in any of our hospitals and health services while on the premises
• all smokers can access assistance while in hospital to manage any cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• any smokers admitted to one of our hospitals will be asked about their smoking (how many and how often) to assess their level of nicotine dependence. If clinically appropriate, free nicotine replacement therapy will be offered (NRT) while in hospital to manage any cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• we have staff who specialise in providing support to quit smoking and can provide advice on managing your nicotine dependence and how to attempt quitting.

Further information

For more information or support to quit smoking, email our Health Promotion team at SNSWLHD-HealthPromotion@health.nsw.gov.au or contact NSW Quitline.  

Breastfeeding is best for you and your baby, but it isn't always easy. It takes time and practise. It can take about 6 weeks for you and your baby to learn the skill of breastfeeding.

You are doing an important job and you’re not alone. Ther​e are many support services that can help you.

Local breastfeeding support services

Further information

Find our more about breastfeeding your baby.

For more common challenges or for specific advice, please contact our Community Health Central Intake Services by emailing SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au or call 1800 999 880.

Go4Fun Online is a free 10-week healthy lifestyle program for primary aged children and their families with the goal to support them to become fitter, healthier, more confident and happier.

Go4Fun Online program details

• Short online sessions with fun weekly games and activities for your family to do together at home
• A weekly call with your very own health coach
• Aboriginal families can access phone yarns with an Aboriginal Support Worker for culturally safe support alongside Go4Fun coaching
• Connecting with other Go4Fun Online families via the closed Facebook group
• Working towards a prize at the end of the program with kids earning tokens along the way.

Further information:

Learn more about Go4Fun Online or register for the program by visiting Go4Fun Online program or contacting the Go4Fun Online team on 1800 780 900. 

Eligible patients who live in Southern NSW can access free public dental (oral health) services. Contact the Community Health Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 or SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au

The PICNIC program is a peer education program to support new parents feeding their infants and toddlers in Southern. Delivered in partnership with Mid North Coast Local Health District, PICNIC provides parents with the knowledge and skills in establishing positive feeding practices as they transition to solids. PICNIC can support the feeding journey, making it healthier, happier and easier for parents, and their mates.

If you would like more information about becoming a PICNIC parent then go to the website and contact the PICNIC team. Remember, to be a PICNIC parent you must live in Southern NSW Local Health District and have a child aged 0-6 years old.

Starting school is an important time for children and families. It begins when children and families start to prepare the year before, and continues as children experience their first days, weeks and months of school.

Before school health assessment

Your child can get a free 4-year-old health and development check at their preschool or long day care. Your child can also get their 4-year check at their doctor or local child and family health service.

This health assessment may include:

• a hearing check
• an assessment of oral health
• a physical (height and weight) check
• a check of your child’s immunisation status
• questions about your child’s development and emotional wellbeing
• a vision test - Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening (StEPS)

An Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register is required for school enrolment.

Talk to your nurse, doctor and/or teacher about any health, development, behavioural or family issues which may affect your child’s ability to learn at school.

To make an appointment with our Child and Family Health Nurses, please contact the Community Health Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 or SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au

Active and Healthy is an online resource that provides helpful information and tools to help you increase your physical activity.

The website can help you find an exercise program in your local area and stay active and healthy at home.  

All older adults living in NSW can access free phone and online-based health coaching through the Get Healthy Service (GHS).

The service supports you to:

• get active
• eat healthily
• reduce alcohol
• reach and stay at a healthy weight
• stay active during and after cancer treatment
• make lifestyle choices and reach your health goals. 

For more information or to register for the program go to the GHS website or call 1300 806 258.