Uniting Supported Playgroup Facilitator Nadine Hill and PICNIC Program Coordinator Rachel Gerathy (rear, in black t-shirts) with Supported Playgroup families.

PICNIC extends feeding program into Supported Playgroups

Jul 18, 2024

The PICNIC program is an internationally recognised child-feeding peer education program, established on the Mid North Coast.

Since the program started in 2018, more than 700 parents have participated in peer-to-peer sharing of evidence-based child nutrition and feeding practice information through their participation in PICNIC.

“It just works! I’ve stopped hassling him, and he’s eating better than before,” PICNIC parent of a two-year-old.

In 2023, the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) partnered with the Uniting Organisation to develop PICNIC in Supported Playgroups (PICNIC SPG) to further extend the reach of this valuable program to priority population groups across the Mid North Coast.

PICNIC SPG provides a series of free, online self-directed learning modules, designed to help playgroup facilitators guide parents in feeding their children.

Co-designed by MNCLHD dietitians and social justice specialists, the modules were peer-reviewed by various paediatric health professionals and informed by consumer voice and the Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Strategy 2022-2032.

Key messages in the modules aim to shape peer-to-peer conversations on feeding responsively, reducing stress at family mealtimes, supporting diet variety, and providing practical tips to support feeding challenges that parents may encounter along their journey.

With funding received through the NSW Regional Health Partners Consumer and Community Involvement Grant, MNCLHD conducted consumer insight focus groups with a diverse group of families from Aboriginal, Burmese, Iraqi and Afghani backgrounds, to help inform the content of the modules.

MNCLHD Dietitian Rachel Gerathy said the grant allowed the team to gain valuable insights into parents with various lived experiences.

“The focus groups provided opportunities for families to share their experiences with traditional feeding approaches, cultural considerations for supporting various groups in the early child feeding space, and the present-day challenges they face when feeding their children on limited resources,” Rachel said.

User testing of the online modules was conducted with a sample of playgroup facilitators.

One user tester commented, “The information on food security really made me stop and rethink how to support families on nutrition and feeding. I’ll now keep in mind the family’s food security and good enough parenting as them doing the best with the emotional, social and financial resources they have.”

Uniting Supported Playgroup Facilitator Nadine Hill has been instrumental in bringing a combined health and social justice lens to the PICNIC modules.

“I can’t wait to see these learning modules go out to all the facilitators. The content is extremely relevant to our work and will be a welcome addition in assisting families,” Nadine said.

PICNIC SPG will be released live to all SPG facilitators across the district from August 2024.

For more information contact PICNIC Program Coordinator Rachel Gerathy, at rachel.gerathy@health.nsw.gov.au