Nursery World - Sector gives views on free milk or fruit

The early years sector has given a mixed response to the Government's second consultation into the Healthy Start scheme that proposes offering a choice of free milk or fruit to children under five in nurseries.

Meanwhile, the first phase of the scheme, which will see low-income parents receive vouchers that can be exchanged for milk, fruit or vegetables, will be launched in Devon and Cornwall on Monday (Nursery World, 17 February 2005).

The Department of Health's consultation on draft regulations outlined the decision to expand the universal provision of milk for children up to the age of five in LEA and Ofsted-registered daycare to include either milk or a piece of fruit. But responses to the consultation show that there is strong support for providing both fruit and milk in nurseries.

Sally Eaton, manager for schools and nurseries for the Centre for British Teachers, said, 'Who makes the decision? The nursery or the parent? Both foods have different nutritional values. I think our parents would want to have both - even if it means paying slightly higher fees.'

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