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The changing role of Australian primary schools in providing breakfast to students: a qualitative study

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journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 03:58 authored by Kim JoseKim Jose, Miriam VandenbergMiriam Vandenberg, J Williams, Abbott-Chapman, J, Alison VennAlison Venn, Kylie SmithKylie Smith
Issue addressed: In recent years state governments throughout Australia have provided significant funding to support the expansion of school breakfast programs (SBPs), in response to concerns about children arriving at school hungry. This study investigated how schools have responded to the growing expectation that they provide breakfast for students.

Methods: This qualitative study draws on case studies of five Australian primary schools that operate SBPs. Interviews or focus groups were conducted with 78 children, parents, staff, volunteers and funders and data underwent thematic analysis.

Results: Three key themes were identified; Adjusting to the changing role of schools, SBPs reflecting the school's culture, Schools as an alternative or additional site for breakfast. Some staff and parents expressed unease about SBPs shifting responsibility for breakfast provision from parents to schools but were committed to supporting vulnerable students as part of the broader school culture. SBPs were found to provide an alternative or additional site for breakfast consumption for many children not experiencing food insecurity.

Conclusion: The expectation that schools provide breakfast has created some challenges and tensions that have not been fully resolved. The adoption of an inclusive approach, undertaken to ensure students were not stigmatised for attendance, had resulted in concerns about the resources used by the programs as well as over-consumption of breakfast by some students.

So What?: Increasingly, Australian schools are providing breakfast for students. Concerns about shifting responsibility and over-consumption could be addressed if schools were given more advice on program management by government and non-government funding bodies.

History

Publication title

Health Promotion Journal of Australia

Volume

31

Pagination

58-67

ISSN

1036-1073

Department/School

Menzies Institute for Medical Research

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2019 Australian Health Promotion Association

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Nutrition; Preventive medicine; Neonatal and child health

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