What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Education about how to promote a healthy lifestyle for children in schools?
I work closely with the Cabinet Secretary for Education on a range of policies which support health and wellbeing in schools including updating our primary school food regulations and guidance, which will support children to develop healthy eating habits which can last a lifetime.
The mandatory Health and Well-being Area within the Curriculum for Wales helps learners to understand the factors that affect physical health and well-being. The Area includes consideration of nutrition, physical activity, and substance misuse, as well as emotional and mental well-being. Further resources to support this Area are currently being developed, which include materials on increasing awareness of the positive benefits of vaccination, in preventing serious illness, and improving life expectancy and life chances.
The Welsh Network of Health and Well-being Promoting Schools play a key role in promoting and embedding a whole school approach to healthy behaviours supporting leadership, curriculum, workforce and culture. Public Health Wales are currently engaging on new national standards for Health and Well-being Promoting Schools in Wales with proposed standards which align more closely with the curriculum and the statutory framework on embedding a whole-school approach to emotional and mental well-being.