Successfully promoting positive health messages

1
Successfully promoting positive health messages

• Sue Bowker
• Welsh Assembly Government

2
All work within the context of the health
promoting school

• Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes
• National Healthy School Standard
• Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit
• Health Promoting Schools Partnership
• European Network of Health Promoting Schools

3
What is a health promoting school?

• A health promoting school is said to match the
  effort and attention given to the teaching of
  health education with action directed towards
  improving the school environment and links with
  pupils families and the wider community

4
Emphasis on schools assessing their own needs, in
discussion

• In Wales use assessment tool with teachers and
  pupils
• Specific assessment tool to identify issues
  related to food and nutrition
• In 1996 pupils from one secondary school
  identified the lack of availability of drinking
  water as a problem

5
Also provide supportive framework for schools

• Nutritional standards for school meals
• Heartbeat Award for Schools
• Fruit tuck shops
• Free school milk for infants
• Free primary school breakfasts
• Healthy vending
• Water coolers

6
Water coolers initiative

• Joint initiative between Welsh Assembly Health
  and Education Departments and Welsh Water
• Designed to provide chilled tap water to schools
  in Communities First areas
• Over 300 schools eligible
• Installation and one-years maintenance

7
Delivering the initiative

• Equal partners, single project management, joint
  publicity
• Competitive procurement
• Advertisement in European Journal
• Two companies awarded contract one to supply
  primary schools, one for secondary

8
Location

• Must not be placed in or near to toilet area
• Must be easily accessible to all pupils
• Must be in open area, in view of staff
• Must not restrict access
• Must be placed to comply with Fire Regs
• Must be securely fixed to an appropriate
  structure

9
Specification

• Floor standing secure fixing
• No storage, no filter
• Dispense 20 litres chilled water per hour
• Safety device to interrupt flow
• Large deep drip tray absorbent mats
• Waste drainage system
• Ability to fill 500ml bottles - 16cm gap
• Durable few extending parts

10
Think Water
11
(No Transcript)
12
Think Water

• Benefits of drinking water
• Water cooler care
• Water bottles
• Water bottles on desks
• Common concerns
• Information for parents
• www.healtheschool.org.uk

13
(No Transcript)
14
Evaluation

• To examine the impact of installing water coolers
  in schools
• To examine the processes employed by schools
• To assess the potential impact on pupils drinking
  habits

15
Evaluation methods

• Baseline and follow-up questionnaires focussing
  on access to drinks and toilet policies to all
  schools with March installations
• Pupil data collection, baseline and follow-up in
  16 schools
• Process evaluation in 16 schools

16
Future priorities

• Food and Fitness Task Group for Children and
  Young People
• Childrens NSF
  All LEA maintained schools participate in
  the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes, and
  consider food and fitness actions during their
  involvement
• Health Challenge Wales