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Funding for vitamin D boost in pre-school children

Early years settings can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to fund projects that promote vitamin D and encourage children under the age of five to take supplements.

Pre-schools could receive funding to help children boost their vitamin D intake

Current Government advice is that children aged six months to five years should take a daily supplement containing vitamin D in the form of vitamin drops.

Nurseries can apply for a share of the Feeding for Life Foundation’s Promoting Best Practice grant of £20,000 to fund projects within their setting that support vitamin supplementation and vitamin D intake in children under five.

Settings can apply for a grant of anything from £100 up to £5,000 to fund a new or existing project. The grant is also open to health visitors, practice and community nurses, dieticians and nutritionists and other specialists working in the areas of child nutrition.

Examples of suitable projects include: educating parents about the importance of supplementation in children under five by holding meetings or providing factsheets and leaflets about vitamin D, and the development of educational tools to promote best practice.

Last year, research by The Feeding for Life Foundation found that the majority of healthcare professionals (52%) and parents are either unsure or unaware of vitamin supplement recommendations for the under-fives.