Questions
1. How can we increase the uptake and awareness of the Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods?
How can we increase the uptake and awareness of the Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods?
This consultation was completed via a focus group of staff from the local authority and third sector partners. With additional comments from parents who where part of a spate focus group.
The group suggested there could be a notification from Health to the Social Security Agency (SSA) with the parents consent on confirming they were 10 weeks pregnant. The SSA could then automatically begin payment to eligible parents. Or if application is require send a text with a link to the form to apply to parents. Forms should be as simple as possible to complete and come in a variety of formats and languages.
Awareness rising could be via Health professionals, media and social media.
The group suggested there could be a notification from Health to the Social Security Agency (SSA) with the parents consent on confirming they were 10 weeks pregnant. The SSA could then automatically begin payment to eligible parents. Or if application is require send a text with a link to the form to apply to parents. Forms should be as simple as possible to complete and come in a variety of formats and languages.
Awareness rising could be via Health professionals, media and social media.
2. What can we do to make the smartcard system as easy to use as possible?
What can we do to make the smartcard system as easy to use as possible?
The group felt there was a need to ensure that people living rurally should not be penalised due to different shopping patterns. There could be a automatic roll over of unspent allowance to allow for periodic bulk buying. The smart card should be able to be used when doing internet shopping and using home delivery. There should be as wide as possible availability and should be able to be used in small local retailers as well as larger stores. There could be an initiative to encourage retailers to participate, e.g. free card reading machines for smaller retailers.
3. How do we gather feedback to make improvements as the system evolves?
Q3. How do we gather feedback to make improvements as the system evolves?
Use of on line forums to gather feedback, peer interviewing of parents with availability of training in these skills. Quick feedback at point of use, question at terminal as using smart card.
4. How can we work creatively with retailers and others to make it easier for families to use Best Start Foods to improve their diet and nutrition?
I’m afraid we don’t see this information from the current email system we just see the overall consultations subscribers rather than broken down by topic.
Partly covered in question 2 above. Effective use of data gathered on take up to target areas of low take up. Incentives to retailers to take part in the scheme.
5. What could an innovative programme that will support families to establish healthy eating patterns look like?
What could an innovative programme that will support families to establish healthy eating patterns look like?
Locally delivered community based learning lead by the third sector. Use of health and wellbeing workers and initiatives. (supply funds direct to food banks to purchase healthy foods for distribution).
6. What evidence could we gather about the impact?
Q6. What evidence could we gather about the impact?
Evidence of take up levels and note what child-minders and nurseries are making use of the scheme. Measure via longitudinal studies reduction in child obesity, improvement in child health and milestones being met. Ask parents for their views in meaningful ways using a range of mediums including on line survey, text feedback of the scheme, ETC.
Feedback from retailers on the scheme, sales of health foods increasing. Link this work with community growing initiatives.
Feedback from retailers on the scheme, sales of health foods increasing. Link this work with community growing initiatives.
7. Should the provision of children’s vitamins be linked to eligibility for the new Best Start Foods (i.e. up to age of three)?
Should the provision of children’s vitamins be linked to eligibility for the new Best Start Foods (i.e. up to age of three)?
The group felt that vitamins should be a universal entitlement and not linked to eligibility. Lack of health vitamins was felt to be more about lifestyle of parents rather than income.
8. What do you think about the proposal to offer milk as part of the free meal offer for all children in early learning and childcare funded provision by 2020?
What do you think about the proposal to offer milk as part of the free meal offer for all children in ELC funded provision by 2020?
The group was in favour of this proposal and feedback from parents who had been consulted was also positive and felt this should be done in a manner that did not stigmatise children.
9. What are your views on the proposal to include an offer of a healthy snack to complement the free milk and meal offer for all children in early learning and childcare funded provision by 2020?
What are your views on the proposal to include an offer of a healthy snack to complement the free milk and meal offer for all children in early learning and childcare funded provision by 2020?
The group was also in favour of this and parents views were similar and as 8 above avoiding stigma whenever possible.
10. We are interested in your views on how we can best support childcare providers to provide milk to children outwith funded early learning and childcare entitlement. How could this work in practice without creating a costly administrative system?
We are interested in your views on how we can best support childcare providers to provide milk to children outwith funded ELC entitlement? How could this work in practice without creating a costly administrative system?
It was felt there could be a smart card issued to child minders and nurseries on a similar system as parents linked to registration of child-minders and nurseries.
11. What are your views on the proposal to include an offer of a healthy snack for children outwith funded early learning and childcare entitlement?
What are your views on the proposal to include an offer of a healthy snack for children outwith funded ELC entitlement?
The group was also in favour of this proposal with this being universal and parents consulted in agreement.
About you
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sandy sneddon
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Clackmannanshire Council