This is infuriating.
According to Herald Sun, some childcare centres spend A65c on food per child. The food is often low in nutritional value.
Some childcare coordinators and cooks admitted that they never spent more than A$5.00 of food a day. Some spent as little as A$2.15. That includes snacks.
A Newscorp investigation revealed food offered children included: bread and butter and packet pasta. None of the food had any protein.
In a United Workers Union survey, 2o% of directors and cooks thought the food budget wasn’t enough. 60% of respondents even bought food for the children out of their own pocket.
In a private Facebook group, a commenter fumed:
I feed my dog more a a day than the budget I get. If parents knew they’d be appalled.
Dietitian from University of Queensland, Bonnie Searle witnessed children asking for seconds, but the food had run out.
Searle also saw deceptive menus. Menus would advertise “gourmet sandwiches”, only for children to be offered Vegemite or jam sandwiches.
Sometimes, childcare providers gave children fruit that had become brown and slimy.
Searle condemned centres for lack of nutrition:
A big plate of fruit is not going to keep children full. They need some fat and protein. The food groups we did not see enough of were vegetables and meat.
Children who don’t get enough food or the right nutrition ran the risk of not being able to regulate their emotions or concentrate.
Could this be contributing to rise in in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses? Now, I do believe this is a genuine disorder, but it does make you wonder.
Why don’t parents just pack children food?
When I was reading about this, some people asked why can’t parents just pack their children food? Well, apparently, many centres don’t allow it for fears of allergic reactions.
If this is the case, then everyone is in a no – win situation.
It’s not good enough.
End private childcare and have it properly funded
People have told me a lack of food in childcare is neither surprising or uncommon. Coordinators of private childcare centres put profits over the well – being of children.
If this is the case, there is one solution. The government has to fund childcare 100%. No more private providers. They obviously can’t be regulated properly. This goes for the aged care sector as well.
When people bring this up, protesters complain and ask why should they pay for other people’s children? So what if you don’t have children? Do you have nieces? Nephews? Children of friends who call you their cool “aunt” or “uncle”?
I don’t have children. Most adults, including myself want to see children thrive. Children need a healthy environment, including healthy food.
The National Quality Standard
In 2010, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) introduced the National Quality Standard. These were very strict and very detailed.
Since the Liberal National/ Coalition Party has been in power, these standards have been watered down. While Standard 2.1 covers a “healthy lifestyle”, there is no specific demand that a childcare provider must provided healthy food or water, like it did when the Australian Labor Party were in power.
Maybe they should at least bring that standard back. And hold ALL centres to that standard. Children deserve it.
What do you think about childcare? What improvements should be made? Do you think they should all be government run? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
