The Nutrition Australia Victorian Division Nutrition Services for Early Learning Centres provide accurate and up to date information about nutrition for early life. Our Services can help to ensure that your Long Day Care or Family Day Care facility can meet and exceed the food and nutrition related principles of the QIAS and FDCQA Quality Practices Guides.

Packages and Membership

Please click on the 'Membership and Special Packages' link to access information on how your childcare service can attain membership of the Nutrition Services for Early Learning Centres program, and information about the services provided.

Nutrition and Food Handling

Nutrition Australia’s Nutrition and Food Handling Course can help ensure that Long Day Care Centres meet the QIAS requirements as outlined in Principle 6.1 and 6.2, and that Family Day Care providers meet the FDCQA requirements as outlined in Principle 4.2. Nutrition Australia's qualified Dietitians/Nutritionists will visit your facility and present a two hour nutrition and food handling course to up to 25 people. Topics covered include:

• Nutrition concerns and requirements for children and infants
  
• Dietary guidelines for children
  
• Nutrition policy
  
• Food hygiene
  
• Food handling practices

Food Safety Audits

Nutrition Australia’s Food Safety Audit will ensure that you meet the Indicators for High Quality Care outlined in Principle 6.2 of the QIAS Quality Practices Guide. A qualified Dietitian/Nutritionist will visit your facility to observe and audit your food hygiene and handling procedures. Our Dietitian/Nutritionist will:

• view your policies and protocols
  
• discuss current food safety legislation and accreditation guidelines
  
• check that standards are being met
  
• provide food safety information relevant to your LDC facility.

You will be provided with a written report outlining the outcomes of the audit, with recommendations to better meet (or continue to meet) food safety standards and decrease the possibility of food safety issues arising in the future.

Menu Assessments

This comprehensive assessment is based on recommendations outlined by the National Childcare Accreditation Council, specifically principle 6.1 of the QIAS Quality Practices Guide. The assessment also incorporates nutritional requirements based on the National Health and Medical Research Council's Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDI’s) and the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents.

Staff and/or Parent Talks and Workshops

Nutrition Australia provides practical and inspiring staff development workshops and/or parent information nights which can address any nutrition related topic of interest or concern according to the needs of your facility.

Nutrition Australia Resources

Nutrition Australia publishes a range of resources which are tailored to meet the needs of Childcare professionals, parents and carers. These include books, booklets, nutrition kits, posters, leaflets, stickers and magnets.

For information about the Childcare publications available at the Nutrition Australia Online Shop, please visit the link below:

http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/catalog/childcare-centres

Newsletter

Toddler Bites is the official newsletter distributed to Early Learning Centre members of Nutrition Australia’s NSW and VIC Divisions.  Toddler Bites provides the latest information on nutrition and health as well as tips on how to prepare delicious recipes.  The newsletter also provides practical and up-to-date information on contemporary issues affecting the nutrition of children in Childcare facilities. 

Look out for your free issue, received via email each quarter.