Panel experts in shaping the nutrition and food safety guidelines for CYCWs in KwaZulu-Natal, SA

Abstract

Background: The study is based on the view that food contamination and limited knowledge of health and hygiene are some challenges Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs) face. The South Africa Nutrition Education Programme (NEP) was a conceptual framework within which the study is embedded. Despite the existence of relevant legislation and processes on food preparation, safety and healthy eating, South Africa’s CYCCs are still characterised by practice limitations.

Aim: The study explores the use of expert panels in the review of newly developed guidelines for child and youth well-being.

Setting: South African Experts in the field of CYCC and Academia.

Methods: A qualitative approach was utilised to select three experts in Child and Youth Care, Child and Youth Care Education and Training and Food, Nutrition, and Community Research Education and Training. They were given 58 pages of guidelines to review and submit input. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data.

Results: The study’s findings included six main themes and related sub-themes. The main themes include nutrition terminology and words, healthy eating plans, menu planning, food safety and hygiene, food preparation and the layout of the guidelines. In general, the study findings can be highlighted as inclusion of low-cost, widely available, cost-effective meals, utilising SA-acceptable terminology and focussing on SA sources rather than global literature.

Conclusion: The guidelines are critical because CYCCs in South Africa currently lack such guidelines. Furthermore, the expert reviewers acknowledged that the guidelines were applicable and necessary in South African child and youth care facilities.

Contribution: Child and Youth Care Centres in South Africa will be able to incorporate the guidelines into their everyday food handling and preparation procedures.