CACHE LEVEL 3
CHILDCARE &
EDUCATION
Unit 2 Children’s health and
well-being
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CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
* LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children.
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AC 5.1 Explain the nutritional value of the main food groups.
AC 5.2 Identify the nutritional requirements of children aged:
• 0–1 year
• 1–2 years
• 2–3 years
• 3–5 years
• 5–7 years.
AC 5.3 Explain the role of the early years practitioner in meeting
children’s individual dietary requirements and encouraging healthy
eating.
* LO6 Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s health and well*
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being.
AC 6.1 Explain the impacts of poor diet on children’s health and well© Hodder
Stoughton
being& in
the: Limited CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
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*Explain the nutritional value of the main food groups
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Fruit and vegetables
Source of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C
Should eat five portions a day.
Starchy foods
Bread, cereals and potatoes
Should make up about one third of everything we eat
Main nutrients – carbohydrates, fibre, some calcium and iron, B group vitamins.
Meat, fish, eggs and beans
Good sources of protein
Vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and B minerals.
Milk and dairy foods
Good sources of protein and also contain calcium.
Fat and sugar
Contain vitamins and essential fatty acids.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.1]
*Time: 10 mins
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Using the table on the worksheet
provided, list the five main food groups.
Starter activity
Make a list of the foods that would be in
each group.
Name of
food
groups
Foods in
each group
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CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.1]
Group activity
* Time: 15 mins
• In small groups, collect pictures of examples of food from the five
main food groups.
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Put together collages of the foods. You can either choose to do all
five groups or you can focus on one food group.
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Label your collages and explain the nutrients each food provides.
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CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
*Nutritional requirements
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Babies get the vitamins that they need from breast milk
or infant formula milk. But by the time they are six
months old, their need for vitamins increases.
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Babies are born with nutrients that they have acquired
while in the womb; these help to provide some of the
nutrients that they will need. The rest is provided by
milk. From 0–4 months, the best form of nutrient is
breast milk/formula-feed/a combination of both.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
*Nutritional requirements
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Babies should not be weaned until they are 6 months
old. The Department of Health currently recommends
that infants should be breastfed (if possible) until they
are 6 months old. After this age, breast or formula milk
alone will no longer be sufficient to meet the baby’s
nutritional needs.
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Babies will slowly be introduced to age and stage
appropriate food from the age of 6 months and this will
include puréed food with no added salt or sugar.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
*Nutritional requirements
The nutritional requirements for children aged:
1–2 years
Fruit – 1 cup
Vegetables – ¾ cup
Starchy foods (cereals) – 3 oz equivalents
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 2 oz equivalents
Milk and dairy foods – 2 cups
Fat and sugar – limit to ½–2 child-size portions
2–3 years
Fruit and veg – 4 servings a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – 4 servings a day, e.g. 1 slice of bread, ½
cup of porridge
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 1 serving from this food group per
day
Milk and dairy foods – 2–3 servings a day
Fat and sugar – limit to ½–2 child-size portions
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
*Nutritional requirements
The nutritional requirements for children aged:
3-5 years
Fruit and veg – 3 servings of veg and 2 of fruit a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – 5 servings a day
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – at least 1 serving every day
Milk and dairy foods – 2–3 servings a day
Fat and sugar – limit to ½–2 child-size portions
5-7 years
Fruit and veg – 4–8 servings of veg and 2–4 of fruit a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – at least 6 servings a day
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 1–2 servings every day
Milk and dairy foods – 4–6 servings a day
Fat and sugar – limit to 1–2 child-size portions
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.2]
Reflection activity
*Time: 15 mins
• Think of three children of different ages that you have
worked with.
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Make notes on the different foods that they ate.
Consider why they had different food requirements.
Share your thoughts with a partner.
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CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.3]
*The role of the early years practitioner
• Practitioners need to liaise with parents in order to be
aware of any allergies or specific cultural or religious
requirements. They should ensure that they have
regard for these when they are providing snacks or
planning an activity involving food.
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Practitioners should always have regard for the
importance of diet to children’s development.
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They should also ensure that they consider the
following:
* Children’s rights
* Welfare of children
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
* Long-term effects of diet.
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.3]
Pairs activity
*Time: 15 mins
*What is the role of the practitioner in meeting children’s
individual dietary requirements?
*Consider:
• Children’s rights
• Current frameworks
• The welfare of children
• Long-term effects on children
• Providing a good role model.
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CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
*
*The impact of poor diet on children’s health and well-
being
* In
the short term, a poor diet can lead to:
• Malnutrition, which can cause poor growth and physical development –
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a failure to gain height and weight
Loss of concentration
Tiredness
Increased susceptibility to infections
Tooth decay – caused by sugary foods
Bleeding gums
Poor skin and hair condition
Obesity.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO6 Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s
health and well-being [AC 6.1]
Classroom discussion activity
*Time: 15 mins
*Discuss how the short-term issues may have an impact in
the long term.
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Consider how they may impact on a person’s health,
mental and social well-being.
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How can loss of concentration impact on health and
development in the long term?
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What is the difference between malnutrition and
under-nutrition?
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO6 Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s
health and well-being [AC 6.1]
*The impact of poor diet on children’s health and well-
being
*In the long term, a poor diet can lead to:
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Heart conditions, diabetes, and emotional and social
problems, which can all be caused by obesity.
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Weak immune system, osteoporosis and diabetes, which
can be caused by malnutrition.
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Poor health, which may lead to a loss in income, as the
adult may be unable to work.
*Remember: eating habits developed in childhood set
the foundations for the habits of the adult.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
LO5 Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 5.3]
Extension activity
* Time: 15 mins
* 1. What is the difference between a food allergy and a food
intolerance?
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Research the symptoms of an allergic reaction and what you, as
a practitioner, should do if a child has one.
* 2. What is anaphylaxis?
• Research this and what to do if a child has an anaphylactic
shock.
* 3. Why is gelatine banned in some religions?
• Research the use of gelatine in sweets.
* Identify the role of the
practitioner in supporting individual
CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
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dietary requirements.
* In this lesson we:
 Have learned about the five main food groups and what sort
of foods are in them.
 Have learned about the nutritional value of these food
groups.
 Have considered the role of the early years practitioner in
meeting children’s individual dietary needs and preferences.
 Have considered how a poor diet can affect children’s health
and development in the short term and the long term.
 Have considered how they may impact on a person’s health,
mental and social well-being.
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CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator
1. Plan a daily menu for a baby.
2. Plan a weekly menu for a pre-school child.
3. Plan a weekly menu for a school-age child (5–7 years).
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CACHE Level 3 Early Years Educator