ENGLAND
Compulsory nutritional standards for children in nursery schools are set out in the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) guidance Healthy School Lunches for Pupils in Nursery Schools. The Early Years Foundation Stage, which comes into effect in September, will require maintained nurseries to provide children with nutritious food and drink to meet their needs. Minimum standards will still apply, modelled on the current standards for nursery settings.
To support providers, the framework will also include a range of information and good practice on nutritional standards, including the guidelines on which school meal standards are modelled.
SCOTLAND
In 2006, the former Scottish Executive published Nutritional Guidance for Early Years for childcare providers who offer food for one- to five-year-olds, including snacks and drinks. This includes private and local authority nurseries, creches, playgroups, toddler groups, childminders, school meal services and family centres, regardless of the length of time children are cared for. It was introduced to reinforce the importance of healthy eating in early years and to assist providers in working towards the quality of service described in the Care Commission's National Care Standards: Early Education and Childcare up to the Age of 16: Standard 3 Health and Wellbeing.
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