Purpose/Objectives: "Cooking for Kids," a culinary training program, conducted a needs assessment with key personnel in Oklahoma school nutrition programs to better understand the current training and resource needs of this population. Additionally, the needs assessment assessed barriers to accessing current training interventions…

Physical education is often viewed as a public health tool that can be used to increase the amount of physical activity young people engage in. However, not only should the amount of physical activity at school and in physical education lessons be increased, but students should also acquire the knowledge, skills, motivation and responsibility that…

The conducting of universal mental health screening is one widely endorsed practice suitable for use within P-12 school settings to more proactively identify children and young people experiencing or displaying characteristics of a mental health disorder. Absent routine screening, many school-age youth with mental health concerns, especially those…

Preschool teachers are uniquely positioned to impact children's physical activity levels, yet the relationship between teachers' and children's physical activity levels has not been widely investigated. The purpose of this study was to explore preschool teachers' physical activity levels, practices, and perceptions and how this relates to…

School health services (SHSs) and school nurses play a crucial role in identifying and supporting students with mental illness. The integration of information and communication technology (ICT) can facilitate interorganizational collaboration in this context. Due to the limited research in this area, a scoping review was conducted to explore SHSs'…

The Institute of Child Nutrition Applied Research Division (ICN ARD), funded through a grant administered by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (USDA FNS), conducts ongoing research to enhance Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs). This Research Update contains the status of: "Recently Completed Research"…

It is estimated that 1 in 2 young people who are educated in Alternative Provision (AP) educational settings have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. However, the extent to which the mental health needs of these young people are currently being met by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is less clear. In this…

Financial barriers often restrict sport participation among children from low-income families. Schools are thought to offer equitable access to programming, including school sport participation. However, pay-to-play school sport models can inhibit participation among students from low-income households. Recognizing the potential benefits of school…

Integrated early childhood development (ECD) programs boost child health and developmental outcomes. However, the factors contributing to the successful implementation of such programs in informal urban settlements are not well researched. We conducted 14 focus group discussions and 13 key informant interviews with 125 caregivers of children under…

This article brings into relief two "desiderata" in childrearing, the importance of which the pandemic has made clearer than ever. The first is to ensure that, in schools as well as outside them, children have ample opportunities to enjoy goods that are particular to childhood: unstructured time, to be spent playing with other children,…

USDA helps millions of children from low-income households access healthy meals by purchasing food, including seafood, for the NSLP. USDA-purchased foods represent about 15 to 20 percent of the food served in the NSLP. According to the DGA, programs, such as the NSLP, can play an essential role in providing access to healthy meals. This can help…

Background: Schools are essential public health partners for safeguarding students' health. Child Death Review (CDR) is one public health activity where collaboration with schools is integral for developing strategies to prevent child death but the degree of collaboration is unknown. This study assessed school participation in CDR and the…

Childhood obesity has become a global epidemic, with long-term implications for the physical and psychological well-being of individuals. Elementary schools serve as a crucial environment for addressing this issue by providing physical education (PE) programs. However, barriers to implementing quality PE curricula can impede efforts to fight…

This study examines the impact of mandatory maternal education on child health in Turkey, where a non-trivial fraction of families restricted their daughters' schooling due to social and cultural barriers. The analysis employs two large data sets and exploits a quasi-experiment involving an education reform that increased compulsory schooling.…

Pastoral care in education aims to promote the holistic development of all pupils whilst supporting those who experience challenging personal circumstances. Significant developments have been made in this field in recent years, including increased focus in Initial Teacher Education, yet major challenges remain to be addressed nationally and…