QUT Ethics Approval Number 1300000625

We are writing to invite your ECEC service to participate in a survey for the new LEAPS (Learning, Eating, Active Play, Sleep) project that is being run by Queensland University of Technology, NAQ Nutrition and Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation. The LEAPS Project is a joint Australian, State and Territory government initiative under the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health.

The overarching purpose of this project is to provide a free state-wide professional development program and support service on nutrition and physical activity for ECEC services and their educators.

The baseline survey for all ECEC services focuses on what services are currently doing in terms of nutrition and physical activity. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes of your time and is intended to be completed by an educator in a leadership position (e.g. Director, Coordinator, Educational Leader or Teacher). We hope that you will make time to complete the survey as the information that you provide will help the LEAPS project team to continue to refine and strengthen the professional development program that has been developed to support services in implementing nutrition and physical activity guidelines.

All services that complete the survey will go in the draw to win a LEAPS Active Play Kit valued at $150 for their service.

If you would like to complete this survey please follow this link to the Baseline Survey for Services http://survey.qut.edu.au/f/177804/122c/

For more information there is an information sheet attached to this email. The survey will close on the 24^th of December.

FREE Professional Development available

The LEAPS Project has also developed a free professional development program that is fun, innovative, interactive and supports educators in their role and aims to help them implement the messages from the Get Up & Grow guidelines in their setting.

The Professional Development Program is:

• Based on the Australian Government resource Get up & Grow.
• Covers the National Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Guidelines and
• Links these with the Early Years Learning Framework and National Quality Standard for educators working in early childhood settings.

By completing the professional development program you will gain practical information and enhanced skills and confidence to communicate with parents about issues relating to their child’s food choices, eating behaviours and physical activity and how this might impact on their child’s growth, learning and development. You will also gain up to date information about policies, practices and resources to promote health within your service and will receive a Certificate of Completion as evidence of your commitment to quality improvement in this area.

If you are interested in attending the FREE LEAPS Professional Development Program, please follow this link to the NAQ Nutrition website where you can register. If you have any questions about the survey please contact Phoebe Cleland on 07 3138 0118 or email phoebe.cleland@qut.edu.au