Program details
- Priority area: Access and inclusion
- Primary audience: Educators, parents/carers, children
- Delivery mode: Resources (books, kits, manuals)
- Strength of evidence: Level 5 – Foundational research evidence
- AEDC sub-domains: Physical health and wellbeing – physical readiness for day
- Item cost: Moderate ($200–$2,000 per person/item) to High (>$2,000 per person/item)
Program description
'Breakfast clubs' provide children with free, healthy breakfasts. This can lead to increased attendance rates and better conditions for learning. Approaches vary. Clubs can be open to all children, or limited to those from low-income families. They can be tailored to local settings and preferences.
Useful resources include:
- School Breakfast Program Toolkit, Alberta Health Services, Canada
- Best Practice Guidelines for Establishing Breakfast Clubs in Schools, Heart Foundation, New Zealand
- Guidelines for setting up breakfast clubs, UK Department of Education.
Detailed cost
Services should consider the cost of food and staffing in setting up and running breakfast clubs.
Implementation considerations
- Target population: clubs can be provided to all children at a service, or targeted to specific groups.
- Program/practice descriptions and details: breakfast clubs should be implemented in accordance with the VEYLDF, in particular the following practice principles:
- partnerships with families
- equity and diversity
- reflective practice.
- Program adaptability: breakfast clubs can be easily adapted – catering, for example, to particular age groups, cultural preferences or dietary needs. In Australia, the program is adapted to suit services in each state.
- Staffing: services should consider how staff will organise their time to run the program, and the potential cost of extra working hours and backfill.
VEYLDF alignment
Item uses these practice principles
- Reflective practice
- Partnerships with families
- High expectations for every child
- Respectful relationships and responsive engagement
- Equity and diversity
- Assessment for learning and development
- Integrated teaching and learning approaches
- Partnerships with professionals
Item responds to these sub-outcomes
Not applicable.
Updated