Modalities
Nutritional support for children in the form of:
- Age–appropriate meals: Providing nutritious, age– appropriate meals in creches, including the right balance of macronutrients and micronutrients for healthy growth.
- Supplementary feeding programs: Providing specially formulated foods (SFFs) to fill identified nutrient gaps.
- Micronutrient supplementation in the form of individual micronutrients or MNPs.
Support for breastfeeding and complementary feeding in the form of:
- Breastfeeding promotion and support: Creches can provide breastfeeding–friendly spaces and encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding, while also providing education on exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.
- Counselling on complementary feeding including the use of locally available and affordable foods for improving the diversity and quality of children's diets.
Conditions and considerations
- In food–insecure settings, providing support for young children in creches (daycare centers) and other early childhood care services is crucial for addressing both nutrition and developmental needs. An approach that focuses on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) support can play a key role in mitigating the effects of food insecurity on young children.