Food in Care

Food in Care an innovative programme led by Food Active to assist children in care and their carers to lead healthier lives. The project aims to raise the importance of food, nutrition and associated behaviours for children in care, through a range of resources and training.
Background
Research has shown that there is a significant gap in targeted information and support for carers around promoting healthy diet and nutrition for children in care, as well as their understanding food behaviour issues.
Food in Care seeks to fill this gap, developed as part of a three year British Heart Foundation-funded project, delivered in partnership with Liverpool City Council and other local partners.
Food in Care has inspired me to food as a topic is a way we can connect with ourselves, our teams and most importantly, our children.
Social worker

Why Food in Care?

Children in care can often display abnormal food related behaviours. They may enter into service with some food behaviour issues caused by their early experiences of abuse and/or neglect. They might also develop some food issues during care placements due to the stress associated with being in an unknown environment where they might feel insecure and excluded. Carers face many challenges related to those issues and they require skills in managing food associated behaviours.

How effective is Food in Care?

We carried out an evaluation of the Food in Care training programme in 2017, which reported an increased understanding of food, nutrition and health, as well as more confidence in dealing with food behaviour issues and challenges.

I have gained a very good understanding of how food is directly involved in every part of a child and young person life, and is essential component to provide positive outcomes for children in care. This resource needs to continue and become part of everyday.
Foster carer

Find out more about our training and resources, as well as all the latest news and updates from the project below.

More Information

If you would like to get in touch with one of the team to find out more about Food in Care, please click on the button below.

ABOUT US

Find out more about the Food Active team and the Food Active Network

What we Do

Find out more about our programme of work and our priorities

Policy Change

Explore our work on influencing policy both locally and nationally

Campaigns

Discover our range of campaigns to promote behaviour change

Research

Find out more about our research to understand and explore the food environment

Events

Get up to speed with our past conferences and events programme