Growing Healthy Children in the The Healthy Children Growing Together Project Sarah Grace Project Officer: Healthy Children Growing Together What I’m going to talk about...

• Project background • Some context on The City of Melton • Social determinants and impact on health • How we will grow healthy children in the City of Melton

Project Funding

• $300,000 • 12 month funding period  June 2015 • 18 month implementation period August 2014  January 2016

A little about the project

Purpose: Promote and protect the health and wellbeing of children and their families through healthy eating and physical activity initiatives.

Target: Children 0-8 years and their families

Why? Parents and families have the greatest influence on • Children’s immediate wellbeing • Instilling lifelong habits

Project Objectives

• Raise awareness • Increase physical activity levels • Provide opportunities • Encourage intake of fruit and vegetables • Policy development  physical and social environments • Build capacity of early years service providers • Improve health literacy • Build an evidence base Insert...me! So where the heck are we?

Macedon Ranges Shire Moorabool Shire City We are 39km west of . Caroline Springs 19km . Melton South 35km

City, rural and small townships

Increasing diversity

We’re growing really fast!

Per Annum Per Week Daily Our5,028 populationpeople is currently 130,000 Equates to: 97 people 14 people One Government Primary School

1,734 families 33 families Equates to: Equates to: 5 families 1.5 Community Centres 1 New Street 42 babies 2,172 babies Equates to: 6 babies 2 Kindergarten Classes 2012-2013 data We’re also a young population

• 70% are less than 45 years old. • The largest age group is 0-4 years old. • The second largest is 30-34 years. Our Growth Boundary in 2002 Current Expected Growth in 2014 Changes over a decade – Caroline Springs: Then (2004) & Now (2013)

Changes over a decade – Brookfield: Then (2004) & Now (2013)

What’s influencing our health? The Picture in the City of Melton

Long commutes (2+ hours) to work 14% exclusively breastfed City of Melton 22% at 6 months

Victoria 12% Fuel price vulnerability Lowest in

Mortgage stress High unemployment experienced by 26%

Low education levels This is leading to poor behaviours...

City of Melton 44.9% 66.6% Daily soft drink Victoria 41.9% 54.8% consumption

Not eating enough fruit and vegies City of Melton 21%

Victoria 12%

The highest in the state! Not doing enough physical activity

City of Melton 28.2% 30.6%

Victoria 27.2% 27.5%

...and poor health outcomes

Too many are overweight or obese

City of Melton 49.3% 66.4%

Victoria 40.3% 57.2%

City of Melton 9.3% Victoria 4.8% More than double diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes HCGT Project Model What are my challenges?

• Planning, engagement and partnerships take time (a lot!!) • Minimal longevity to what is delivered • Difficult to influence the long term • Lack of Health Promotion history in Melton City Council

Want to get in touch?

Sarah Grace Project Officer: Healthy Children Growing Together 9747 5261 [email protected]