The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is providing funding to the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) at Deakin University to enhance implementation of INFANT across Victoria in 2021. Deakin University’s IPAN has developed the INFANT (INfant Feeding Active play and NuTrition) program to help families establish healthy lifestyle behaviours from the start of life.
The DHHS funding will provide:
- Start-up/seed funding for lead organisations implementing INFANT within Victorian local government areas (details to come)
- Additional practical and local support for sites
- Opportunities for all Victorian Maternal and Child Health Nurses (MCHNs) to participate in INFANT facilitator training
INFANT facilitator training is a self-paced, interactive, 6-hour course delivered online. Course educators from IPAN at Deakin University will be available during the course to facilitate the discussions, support learning and answer questions. The training course provides information about the content and delivery of INFANT as well as resources for sustainably implementing INFANT in your local community. All participants will get a certificate upon completion for logging CPD points.
In 2021, two INFANT training rounds will be open to Victorian Maternal and Child Health Nurses:
- 15 February-12 March 2021
- 19 April-14 May 2021.
The training is open to Victorian health professionals and staff interested in implementing the INFANT program in their community (e.g. nurses, dietitians, health promotion officers, managers, administration support staff, partner organisations). Read more about the training and register now.
Professor Karen Campbell from IPAN at Deakin University, says “investing in healthy eating and active play early in life pays dividends in both the short and long term. In the short term, children grow healthfully and develop healthy habits. In the longer term, these habits will influence their health for the rest of their lives”.
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services INFANT funding complements the five-year Partnership Project Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (ID GNT1161223). The Partnership Project Grant will evaluate the effectiveness of INFANT and its implementation throughout Victoria.
The Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University gratefully acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government.
