The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) is pleased to announce its endorsement of 'Eat Better, Start Better' prorgramme, led by the Children’s Food Trust.

The Children's Food Trust exists to protect every child’s right to eat better and, so, to do better. It focuses on ensuring a balanced diet for children’s early years and schooldays together with better family cooking skills, lifestyle and food education. The 'Eat Better, Start Better' programme is about helping children under the age of five to eat well - by helping early years providers meet children’s nutritional needs more consistently, and families with young children to develop the cooking skills and confidence they need to cook and eat more healthily.

More than 800 early years and health professionals in 25 local authorities across England have already taken part in the training, whilst more than 17,000 copies of Eat Better, Start Better practical guide and menus have been requested since the programme's launch last year.

Patricia Mucavele, who leads the 'Eat Better, Start Better' programme, said: “We're absolutely delighted to receive this accreditation. Together with the great feedback we’ve had from early years and health practitioners taking part in our Eat Better, Start Better training, I hope this will encourage even more professionals and parents to get involved with this incredible movement of people working together on great food for young children. Helping children to eat well from this really early age sets them up for the healthy start they need – and for a life-long passion for good food.”

The RSPH's accreditation scheme endorses training programmes that enhance the knowledge and skills of health professionals who work promoting communities’ health and wellbeing. This is the first early years nutrition training programme that RSPH has accredited for both health and early years practitioners.

The Eat Better, Start Better programme has undergone an expert assessment on how effectively it provides health professionals with a clear understanding of the content and practical use of The Voluntary Food and Drink Guidelines for Early Years Settings in England.

RSPH chief executive, Shirley Cramer CBE, comments: “RSPH wholeheartedly agrees with the Children’s Food Trust in that supporting healthy eating can never begin too early. I would like to congratulate the Children’s Food Trust for their work in promoting healthy eating for young children through the Eat Better Start Better programme. This initiative is truly providing professionals with the knowledge and guidance on how to support families in establishing healthy eating habits with children during their early years”.

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Notes for editors

About The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH)

• The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) is an independent, multi-disciplinary organisation, dedicated to the promotion and protection of collective human health and wellbeing. Through advocacy, mediation, empowerment, knowledge and practice we advise on policy development, provide education and training services, encourage scientific research, disseminate information and certify products, training centres and processes.
• The RSPH is the oldest public health body in the world and enjoys patronage of Her Majesty the Queen
• It is a registered charity operating under Royal Charter
• The RSPH is an awarding body recognised by Ofqual. Around 100,000 students take our qualifications each year through our network of over 1500 training centres throughout the UK. Our qualifications cover areas including health improvement, food hygiene, pest control, health & safety, nutrition and emergency planning.
• The RSPH is a membership organisation with almost 7,000 members. Membership of RSPH is a widely recognised mark of commitment to public health and brings real professional benefits.
• The RSPH run a wide variety of conferences covering topics such as food safety, water, infection control and occupational medicine as well as training programmes covering all aspects of health improvement
• The RSPH run an accreditation service for health and safety related products and manage the second largest food packaging certification scheme in the UK
• For further information on RSPH accreditation of training programmes, please contact: Nelly Araujo, Royal Society for Public Health, tel: 020 7265 7322, email: [email protected], website www.rsph.org.uk  

About The Children’s Food Trust

• The Children’s Food Trust is a registered charity improving school meals, children’s food and related skills, with a vision that all children are able to have the balanced diet, cooking skills and food education that will help them reach their full potential.
• The Children’s Food Trust (formally the School Food Trust) aims to reduce childhood obesity and improve educational performance by improving the food our children eat both in and out of school, and in early years settings.
• The Trust is one of only seven organisations in the country to hold a 2011 Health Promotion and Community Wellbeing Organisation and Partnership award from the Royal Society for Public Health.
• The Trust is a corporate member of the Royal Society for Public Health.
• For more information please contact: Claire Rick, Children’s Food Trust, tel:07867536794, website www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/eatbetterstartbetter