An exploration of the nutritional education component of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme in England using a mixed methods approach

Abstract

This thesis used a sequential mixed methods design to explore the implementation, delivery and impact of nutritional education within the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

Study 1 utilised semi-structured interviews to explore the views and experiences of HAF leads (n=11) at local authority and co-ordinator level. The findings showed variation in nutritional education delivery, both across and within local authorities, with three main modes of delivery identified: face-to-face, take-home and online. However, the aims of nutritional education, such as equipping families with food-related skills and knowledge to promote independence and signposting families to relevant support, were common across providers. Key considerations made when planning, implementing and delivering provision included using a whole-family approach and considering families’ access to facilities and resources. Whilst barriers including the facilities at venues and vague HAF guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) hindered some delivery, nutritional education was perceived to improve numerous outcomes for families who attend.

In study 2, an online survey was used to investigate nutritional education delivery within HAF clubs across England (n=147). Aligning with study 1, nutritional education was found to be delivered in multiple ways, often influenced by location, venues and local material assets. HAF club leads perceived nutritional education to improve skill-related and behaviour-related outcomes. However, perception did not always translate into good practice, as some clubs did not deliver nutritional education at all. Implementing suggested changes to improve delivery, such as additional skilled staff, training and improved access to facilities and resources proved challenging for clubs, due to barriers regarding funding and time. Moreover, few providers utilised DfE guidance when planning, implementing and delivering nutritional education due to its vagueness and ambiguity. Others were unaware of the guidance or did not deem nutritional education to be a priority.

Study 3 used a quasi-experimental design to explore whether HAF nutritional education was associated with improved outcomes for children (n=169). Pre-post intervention data were collected from (1) children who did not attend HAF (No HAF), (2) children who attended school-based HAF (HAF), and (3) children who attended school-based HAF alongside a practical nutritional education programme (HAF NEP). HAF NEP was associated with improved perceived cooking competence. No other outcomes were significant, suggesting the importance of experiential learning.

This thesis offers novel insight into the implementation, delivery and impact of nutritional education within HAF, at both the local and national level. The findings are discussed alongside existing theories, current practice and policies.

Date of Award	23 May 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Northumbria University
Supervisor	Greta Defeyter (Supervisor) & Paul Stretesky (Supervisor)