Encourage children and young people to eat healthily
This element focuses on the principles of healthy eating for children and young people, including nutritional guidelines, portion sizes, and the importance of balanced meals. It also explores practical strategies and activities that practitioners can use to encourage positive eating habits in educational or care settings.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The Ascentis Level 2 Extended Certificate in Health and Social Care Professions introduces you to the fundamental principles and practices that underpin careers in health and social care. This qualification covers key areas such as communication, equality and diversity, safeguarding, and the roles of different health and social care professionals. It is designed to provide a solid foundation for further study or entry-level employment in settings like hospitals, care homes, and community support services.
Understanding this topic is crucial because health and social care is one of the largest employment sectors in the UK, with over 1.5 million people working in adult social care alone. The course emphasises person-centred care, which means tailoring support to individual needs and preferences. You will learn how to apply legislation such as the Care Act 2014 and the Health and Social Care Act 2008, ensuring you can work safely and ethically. This knowledge is not only essential for exams but also for real-world practice where you will interact with vulnerable individuals.
This qualification fits into the wider subject by bridging theoretical knowledge with vocational skills. It prepares you for progression to Level 3 qualifications, such as the Diploma in Adult Care, or apprenticeships in health and social care. By mastering these concepts, you will be equipped to contribute effectively to multidisciplinary teams and provide high-quality care that respects dignity and promotes independence.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Person-centred care: A approach that places the individual at the centre of their care, respecting their values, preferences, and needs. It involves active listening, empathy, and involving the person in decisions about their care.
- →Safeguarding: Protecting vulnerable individuals from abuse, neglect, or harm. This includes understanding signs of abuse (physical, emotional, financial, etc.) and knowing how to report concerns following local policies and the Care Act 2014.
- →Equality and diversity: Ensuring everyone has equal access to care and is treated fairly regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or sexual orientation. The Equality Act 2010 legally protects individuals from discrimination.
- →Effective communication: Using verbal and non-verbal skills to build trust and understanding. This includes active listening, using appropriate language, and being aware of barriers like sensory impairments or language differences.
- →Roles and responsibilities: Understanding the duties of different professionals (e.g., nurses, social workers, care assistants) and how they work together in a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic care.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Know about healthy eating for children and young people, Know about activities to encourage children and young people to eat healthily
- Know about healthy eating for children and young people, Know about activities to encourage children and young people to eat healthily
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating knowledge of government nutritional guidelines for children and young people, such as the Eatwell Guide and portion size recommendations.
- Look for evidence of planning age-appropriate activities that promote healthy eating, including practical cooking sessions, food-tasting, or interactive games.
- Assess the ability to explain how to create a supportive mealtime environment that respects cultural and dietary needs while encouraging healthy choices.
- Award credit for demonstrating an understanding of the key food groups and their proportions as outlined in a recognised model (e.g., Eatwell Guide) for different age ranges.
- Evidence must include clear examples of age-appropriate activities that promote healthy eating, such as involving children in food preparation or growing vegetables.
- Recognise the importance of role modelling and a positive eating environment as strategies to encourage healthy habits.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡In written assignments, always link practical activities back to specific learning outcomes or developmental goals to show clear intent and reflection.
- 💡For practical assessments, demonstrate how you adapt communication to a child's age and developmental stage when discussing food choices, and document this in your evidence.
- 💡When providing evidence, ensure you refer to recognised guidelines (e.g., NHS, Public Health England) to back up your recommendations.
- 💡For activity planning, always link the activity to a clear learning outcome for the child and provide a rationale for how it encourages healthy eating.
- 💡Use real-life examples to illustrate your points. For instance, when explaining person-centred care, describe a scenario where a care plan is adapted for a resident with dementia. This shows you can apply theory to practice.
- 💡Always link your answers to relevant legislation or policies. For example, when discussing safeguarding, mention the Care Act 2014 and local safeguarding procedures. This demonstrates depth of knowledge and earns higher marks.
- 💡Pay attention to command words in questions. 'Describe' requires detailed explanation, while 'Explain' needs reasons or causes. 'Evaluate' asks for strengths and weaknesses. Practise past papers to get familiar with these terms.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Confusing adult nutritional guidelines with those specifically for children and young people, such as recommending low-fat diets for children under five.
- Overlooking the importance of role modelling by practitioners, assuming that simply providing healthy food is sufficient to change behaviour.
- Focusing solely on the nutritional content of food without addressing social and emotional aspects of eating, like peer influence and anxiety around new foods.
- Failing to tailor activities to the specific developmental stage of the child, e.g., expecting a toddler to understand complex nutritional information.
- Overlooking cultural and dietary preferences when planning healthy eating activities.
- Confusing the nutritional needs of children with those of adults, such as inappropriate fat restrictions.
- Misconception: 'Health and social care is just about helping people with daily tasks.' Correction: While personal care is important, the field also involves complex decision-making, legal knowledge, and emotional support. You must understand policies, ethics, and how to assess individual needs.
- Misconception: 'Confidentiality means never sharing information.' Correction: Confidentiality is key, but information can be shared with consent or when there is a safeguarding concern. The 'need to know' principle applies, and you must follow data protection laws like GDPR.
- Misconception: 'Equality means treating everyone the same.' Correction: Equality is about fairness, which may require treating people differently to meet their specific needs (e.g., providing a translator for a non-English speaker). This is called equity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for ASCENTIS Encourage children and young people to eat healthily
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic understanding of health and social care settings (e.g., hospitals, care homes) and the types of service users (e.g., elderly, disabled, children).
- •Familiarity with key terms like 'dignity', 'respect', and 'independence' as they are central to care values.
- •Knowledge of the importance of communication in everyday interactions, as this is a core skill in care work.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Know about healthy eating for children and young people, Know about activities to encourage children and young people to eat healthily
- Know about healthy eating for children and young people, Know about activities to encourage children and young people to eat healthily
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