The government has published new, evidence-based guidance to help parents of under 5s navigate screen time, offering practical advice to support informed choices to help little brains develop healthy screen habits.

Keep mealtimes and bedrooms screen-free, and try swapping screens for reading, play, and conversation. Young children copy your habits, so try to limit your own screen use around them. An important point to remember is that screens shouldn’t replace young children’s sleep, physical activity, play or quality time.

Following this the Department for Education have published guidance on how to limit children’s screen use in settings and ensure it supports the children’s learning and development. The guidance includes the difference between screen use and screen time and includes useful reflective questions to think about your own practice. Settings need to consider how, when and why screens are used and ensure that their approach supports children’s learning, development and wellbeing.

From Startwell’s experience, screens are sometimes used for activities such as Wake Up Shake Up sessions and reading stories. We encourage staff to be active role models, like Suzy Startwell, and lead Wake Up Shake Up themselves. Children are likely to find joining in with a familiar adult more engaging than following instructions on a screen. Settings can also bring books to life through active stories, using actions, movement and role play rather than showing a story on a screen. As screen use can encourage sedentary behaviour, these approaches help create more opportunities for children to move and be active, just like Active Azra.

For more advice on how to help little brains to develop healthy screen habits visit the Best Start in Life website.

The Startwell team have seen a few staff changes over the last month. We have said goodbye to Mel Cox and Becky Inshaw from the team.

Mel has stayed working in the wider Dietetic team working on a more clinical role support patients at GP surgeries. The Startwell team would like to thank Mel for all her hard work over the last year and will miss her contribution.

Becky has been with the team for a long time and the team are very sad to see her go. We will miss her creativity and positivity greatly. Becky has written a message to say goodbye to you all personally –

‘After 10 wonderful years working on the Startwell Programme, I’ll be saying goodbye to my role as Physical Activity Lead. It’s been an incredible journey being part of a programme that has such a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of so many families across Birmingham.

I’ve loved visiting early years settings across the city and seeing the Startwell characters come to life and witnessing the passion, creativity and dedication of practitioners who work so hard to give every child the best start in life. It has been a privilege to support you all in promoting healthy eating, physical activity and oral health in your settings.

Leaving a role and team that I’m so passionate about hasn’t been an easy decision. However, after welcoming our second son, I’ve decided to take some time to focus on my young family and explore a new chapter – building my Pilates business (Sammy Skills, would be proud for sure!).

I’m incredibly proud of everything Startwell has achieved and of the amazing team and settings who continue to make such a difference every day. Thank you for making this journey so inspiring, I’ll always be cheering you on!’

Startwell wish both Becky and Mel lots of luck for their future endeavours.

 

District setting support

Here is a current list of which Startwell staff are supporting each district.

• Sarah Bates – Team Leader – Hall Green and Northfield
• Teresa Johnson – Nutrition Lead – Erdington, Perry Barr, Sutton
• Claire Hamilton – Early Years Lead – Yardley, Hodge Hill, Edgbaston, Selly Oak, Ladywood

Beezee Families is a 12-week programme for children and young people aged between 5 – 12 and their families which explores ways families can make healthy habits together in a supportive, non-judgemental space. With the expert guidance from their team, families can:

• Discover the joy of movement
• Learn about a balanced diet
• Learn from the comfort of their own home

Click here for the BeeZee Families flier.

Hopefully you saw in our events calendar that 1st – 31^st March is National Bed Month. Many of you may be wondering why Startwell, who want us to have active lifestyles, is promoting bed month. The answer is because it is so important to get a good night’s sleep, both for children and adults. If you are sleep deprived you are less likely to be active and more likely to eat high sugar/fat foods so National Bed Month is an important time to talk about good bedtime routines and the importance that sleep has on our bodies.

There is now strong evidence that lack of sleep increases the risk of childhood obesity. Current evidence recommends that pre-school children should be getting a minimum of 10-11 hours sleep per night. Talk to parents about a bedtime routine and how this can help children to get a good night’s sleep. Once a bedtime routine has been established that suits the family, consistency is important. Children will get used to their bedtime routine and understand what is expected of them. Hopefully leading to a good night’s sleep for the child.

Children who sleep well will also allow their parents to get a good night’s sleep! This is important for parents own health and wellbeing and will then allow them to have the energy to be good role models like Suzy Startwell and encourage their family to have active lives and consume nutritious food.

For more information on sleep visit our website’s sleep page.