Tasty Tuck Oral Health Award
The Tasty Tuck Award is an initiative focusing primarily on Oral Health Promotion through promoting healthy snacks and drinks for consumption by children within Primary and Special Schools across Halton, Chester and Ellesmere Port.
The Award scheme adopts a holistic approach to positive oral health by focussing on healthier eating and drinking within the school setting. It is designed to be a symbol of recognition for those schools taking an active part in the promotion of healthier eating and adopting, and implementing, healthy snack time policies. It began in the year 2000 as a pilot scheme in Castlefields ward in Runcorn, Cheshire and was so well received it rolled out to other schools in the area.
Aims and Objectives
The main aim of the initiative is encouraging the positive health of children and young people by promoting snacks and drinks in schools that are good for general health, as well as dental health.
The project aims to work with children, teachers, parents, school cooks etc. to bring about positive change in snacking behaviour. It aims to give schools the support to adopt a healthy snacking policy within the school setting.
Objectives:
- Were to develop a snack/ tuck-shop award scheme, as part of North Cheshire Primary Schools Project.
- Develop supporting materials for schools
- Liaise with and support all interested parties in these schools to ensure sustainability.
- To award and monitor ongoing compliance of these schools.
- To review and evaluate the award scheme.
Methodology
Criteria for the award were compiled, incorporating bronze, silver and gold categories to gain recognition for the shcools efforts efforts. (This changed to silver and gold in 2001.)
Questionnaires for pupils, children and teachers were developed to provide baseline information on these criteria and in subsequent years to evaluate changes in knowledge, attitudes and satisfaction. The awards were publicised in the local press to celebrate schools success.
The award has grown since it was first developed and adopts a much more holistic approach. A healthy eating/ oral health assembly workshop is now delivered to all schools, and the team work with school councils and parents to raise awareness and bring about positive change.
Promotion
Initially it was through phone calls to individual schools. Now I receive the phone calls! Many come through from healthy school representatives. Some schools raise awareness with other schools.
Resources
Initially there was funding from a Healthy Eating Strategy Budget in North Cheshire. This was used for the printing of resources, and initial set up. Subsequently resources are fairly minimal basically officer time, leaflets, posters and stickers.
Evaluation
Evaluation is ongoing. The project started in 5 schools and it was through that early evaluation and success that the award was able to be rolled out more widely.
74 schools in Halton, Chester and Ellesmere Port now have awards. Evaluation report attached below.
Lessons Learned
No specific obstacles have been identified but the whole package has grown and developed over the years to incorporate healthy schools, 5 a day, school food trust etc.
Contact Details
Contact Name: Mrs Helen Houlbrook
Job Title: Oral Health Facilitator- Nutrition and Schools
Phone: 01928 593416
Email: helen.houlbrook@nhs.net
Organisation: Halton and St Helen’s PCT
Address: Hallwood Health Centre, Hospital Way, Runcorn, Cheshire WA6 7HX
Other Resources: