A Missed Opportunity? Meal Provision in Early Childhood Education and Care Services in the Context of Socioeconomic Disadvantage.

OBJECTIVES: Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are attended by most children before school entry, reaching many living in circumstances of poverty and providing opportunity to support their nutrition. In this study, we examine the extent to which this opportunity is being met, comparing two common types of service provision: centre- versus family- provided food.

METHODS: Intensive in-situ observations were undertaken across 10 ECEC services in highly disadvantaged Australian communities. All meals provided to children aged 3.5-5 years across an ECEC day (N = 48), of which 11% were experiencing severe food insecurity, were photographed and analysed to assess nutritional adequacy with reference to national dietary standards.

RESULTS: Meals provided did not meet national dietary recommendations for quality or quantity. Nutrition was least adequate in services with policies of family-provided food. These services were also those that served families experiencing the highest levels of severe food insecurity (29%).

CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of policies for the provision of food in ECEC, services are not realising their potential to support child nutrition in the context of poverty presenting increased risk to lifetime trajectories of health and wellbeing. System level policy interventions are required to facilitate equitable access to nutritious food and attendant life chances.