To achieve the Healthy Children's Centre Standard, each centre must demonstrate that it is making progress in all the criteria for each theme and is working in partnership with key organisations.
- Personal, social, emotional and well-being
- Healthy eating and cooking
- Physical activity and play
Download the criteria for the Healthy Children's Centre standard
here.
Step 1 – Self Assessment
a) Set up a Steering Group – members may vary for each Centre, but can include:
- Childminders
- Parent Volunteers
- Health Visitor
- Representatives from: parent forum, day care provider, midwifery, dietetics, oral promotion team
- Teenage pregnancy lead
- Children's Centre teacher
- Smoking cessation service
- Education Psychologist.
b) Audit - What is the Centre's current position?
The steering group should look at the criteria for each theme and complete the audit tool, allocating the traffic light rating for each criteria – red, amber or green.
This will establish the Centre's current position on each element and make it easier to prioritise actions.
Step 2 – Action Plan
Set up a working party for each theme.
Work up an activity plan and timescale for each red or amber priority.
Step 3 – Implement Plan – and work towards HCC Status
Record actions that have been implemented and completed against the criteria boxes.
Book in a visit with the HCC Co-ordinator (HCCC) – the HCCC will check your plan and timescales and help you decide whether further actions are needed and what these will be.
Keep copies of the completed standards – these are used as evidence for the Quality Assurance Group (QUAG), proving outcomes for your self evaluation form (SEF) and for performance management requirements within the Children's Centre function.
Step 4 – Quality Assurance Group (QUAG)
The QUAG will decide by consensus whether a Children's Centre should be awarded the HCC Standard.
If any member of the QUAG has concerns about the practice within the Children's Centre, the Community Team Manager will be asked to provide additional evidence or a recommendation will be made for future action, where appropriate.
Step 5 – Achieving HCC Standard
If further work is needed, then the HCC Co-ordinator will indicate what is required and provide support to achieve it.
Once each Centre has achieved the HCC Status, a self-validation form will be completed by the Community Team Manager, and signed off by the HCCC
Status will be presented to the HCC Steering Group for a final decision. Once approved, then the Centre will be invited to attend a Celebration Day to recognise their achievement and commitment.
Timeframe
The process needs to be completed one year from the start of the roll out for each Children's Centre.
Each Children's Centre will have the ongoing support of from the HCCC through one to one meetings, phone or email support or at locality events to share good practice and ideas to overcome barriers.
Once the Children's Centre has achieved status, procedures should be reviewed after 2 years with the Steering Group.
