Implementation and evaluation of a child weight e-learning toolkit
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Implementation and evaluation of a child weight e-learning toolkit (HealthyWEY) for maternity, health visiting and children’s centre workforces.
IRAS ID
304599
Contact name
Paula Watson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool John Moores University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 28 days
Research summary
This Public Health England-funded project will implement and evaluate the Healthy Weight in Early Years (HealthyWEY) e-learning toolkit across seven pilot locations in England. HealthyWEY consists of nine online modules aimed at equipping multi-agency practitioners to promote a healthy weight in pre-school children (pre-conception to 5 years). Topics include weight-related communication, behaviour change techniques, physical activity, nutrition plus information on cultural awareness, risk identification and clinical decision making to inform intervention and/or onward referral. At each pilot location, a sample of early years practitioners (including health visiting teams, midwives, children's centre staff) will complete the e-learning over a 3-month period. Online focus groups will be conducted after the intervention to gather practitioners' views on the toolkit, and online questionnaire data will be collected at baseline and post-intervention to explore changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. We will also collect feedback about the acceptability of the toolkit and the implementation process via online surveys. A sample of parents/carers will be asked to feedback on how it feels to have a HealthyWEY-informed consultation, and whether this impacts on their behaviors at home. The results will be used by Public Health England to inform decisions regarding a larger-scale roll-out of the e-learning resource.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/YH/0269
Date of REC Opinion
2 Nov 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion