Page 2025 - Week 05 - Thursday, 3 May 2012
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(4) Did ACT Health consult with parents and carers in the development of health education needs of children and young people in ACT public schools; if so, how.
Ms Gallagher: I am advised that the answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The Health Directorate is currently implementing the Healthy Children’s Initiative (HCI); a range of programs and activities to support the health of children and young people in the ACT. The HCI includes a range of initiatives in a variety of settings, including the school setting. Programs to support the health of children and young people have been funded through the Commonwealth National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health (NPAPH) between 2011 and 2014 and the ACT Healthy Futures program in 2009 to 2012.
Health promotion programs currently being implemented in ACT public schools by the Health Directorate include:
• Walk or Ride to School: a program to promote active travel to school to students and their families. This program will be piloted in schools from Term 2, 2012;
• Healthy Food@School: a program to work with all elements of the school setting to create a culture that supports the consumption of healthy food and drinks;
• Healthy Transitions: development of curriculum modules for teachers of Year 5 and 6 students including professional development training for teachers, to educate students about nutrition;
• It’s Your Move: a high school intervention and research project led by Deakin University, involving a whole school settings-based approach to promoting healthy eating and physical activity;
• Unplug&Play – a social marketing campaign to encourage children to spend no more than two hours a day on screen based entertainment and to engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day;
• Tap into Water – a social marketing campaign to encourage community members, including children and young people to drink tap water as the drink of choice. Tap into Water drink bottles are being distributed throughout ACT public schools that are engaged in Walk or Ride to School and Healthy Food@School programs;
• Youth Interact Conference 2012: Healthy Lifestyles workshop. The Health Directorate is co-facilitating a workshop with members of the Youth Advisory Council at this conference to be held on 13 April 2012. The aim of the workshop is to empower youth representatives to deliver their own health promotion initiative, on healthy eating or promoting physical activity, in their own school settings. Small grants will be given to schools to assist students to implement their initiative; and
• ACT Youth Parliament: The first ACT Youth Parliament will take place in July 2012 and is an initiative of the YMCA. The ACT Health Directorate is providing sponsorship and in-kind support for this event. Health Directorate Staff will also provide advice on health issues as required by the young parliamentarians.
(2) Healthy Food@School includes the implementation of the National Healthy School Canteen Guidelines. The guideline resources provided by the Commonwealth are used for in-depth training of canteen staff to enable them to implement the guidelines.
Healthy Transitions curriculum modules are being developed to fit within the current ACT Every Chance to Learn Curriculum and to be adapted for the new National Curriculum.
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