Published Thursday 15 July 2021 at 17:08
Blackburn with Darwen Council and Liverpool John Moores University have secured £105k from Public Health England to develop the HealthyWEY e-learning toolkit kit for Maternity and Early Years workforces.
This builds on the extensive research programme undertaken by Dr Daisy Bradbury and supported by the Council’s Children’s Services and Public Health teams to develop a toolkit to support front line workers have conversations about healthy weight with families of children aged 2-4.
This funding will enable this toolkit originally developed in BwD to be tested in up to eight local authorities nationally with the aim for it to be sited on a national learning platform.
Child weight is one of the most challenging areas to have a conversation about
This award recognises the pioneering work originally carried out in BwD with our valued academic partner, Liverpool John Moores University, in promoting healthy weight in Early Years and will give national recognition to both organisations for the work in this field.
Project Lead and Senior Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, Dr Paula Watson, said:
“Our research with health professionals shows child weight is one of the most challenging areas to have a conversation about. The online HealthyWEY toolkit was co-developed by local health visitors, children’s centre staff and academics from Liverpool John Moores University and includes modules on communicating about weight, supporting behaviour change and promoting a healthy diet and physical activity. It builds on over five years of collaborative working between Blackburn and Liverpool, and we are really excited to have this opportunity to pilot the toolkit on a national scale.”
BwD Executive Member for Wellbeing, Cllr Damian Talbot said:
“Thanks to everyone working on this toolkit for the improvement of public health in BwD, but now also across the country. This is a brilliant example of partnerships in health making a real difference in communities, especially helping families working with Early Years practitioners.”