Allergy awareness for children is now an essential part of managing allergies in childcare
ALLERGY EDUCATION
For children, learning how to support their friends and recognising an allergic reaction is an important life-saving lesson.
The Food Allergy SMART Program helps children become allergy aware.
Suitable for 3 – 5 year-olds
When you are trying to manage food allergies in childcare, effective food allergy management starts with allergy education and not just the educators.
The allergy awareness program is designed to increase allergy awareness in early learning services. Helping children understand the seriousness of allergies and the importance of knowing the signs of anaphylaxis, along with ways they can support their friends. We’re never too young to look out for one another and we all want to be included and made to feel part of the community.
We help you in creating environments that are inclusive and safe with age-appropriate content suitable for 3 – 5 year olds. Our program covers Quality Area 1, 2, 5 & 6 in the National Quality Standards.
Meet Thai & Rabbie
The Food Allergy Smart program introduces children to the importance of allergy awareness using the book characters Thai & Rabbie and has been designed especially for children. Centres can take part in two ways.
Centres can put the Food Allergy SMART Program in place by using our Childcare Allergy Packs or booking an Allergy Awareness Session to teach children about allergies and ways to become Food Allergy SMART.
What we cover
- What are food allergies?
- Symptoms of an allergic reaction
- Reinforce YOUR centres policies
- Why washing hands after eating helps
- No sharing food or drinks at childcare
- The importance of an EpiPen
- How we can support our allergic friends at kindy
- What is anaphylaxis
- Inclusion
- How to be Food Allergy Smart
- Discussion on other things people can be allergic too, it’s not just food
Helping centres and parents to work together in providing a safe environment for children with allergies that is practical and simple for everyone to implement.
Lead the way in allergy awareness
Create safe and inclusive environments for all
CHILDCARE ALLERGY PACK
Fun, interactive learning, designed to engage children
The Childcare Allergy Pack is designed to support staff in educating children about allergies using our interactive educational books, visual posters and activities.
Suitable for: 3 – 5-year-olds
The books portray food allergies in a non-threatening way, in simple language so young children can understand. We have a resource page for educators with discussion points that they can print out and you are emailed classroom activities. This helps to reinforce teaching points and opens further discussion on food allergies and how it may relate to your centre or classroom.
Each book has several Key Teaching Points
– A unique teaching resource for educators to explain food allergies clearly for young children
– Providing allergy awareness in a non-threatening way.
– Continual support with certificates, discussion points and classroom activities. Providing teachers ongoing
material for future children, keeping the Food Allergy Smart program running each year.
– Bright, visual aids to engage children.
– National Quality Standards areas covered – Quality Area 2 – Children’s Health and Safety, Quality Area 5 – Relationships with children
are responsive, respectful and promote children’s sense of security and belonging.
Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
The allergy education program creates thought-provoking conversations, engaging stories and creates understanding and inclusion in childcare, pre-schools and Kindy.
The Childcare Allergy Pack
The pack includes:
- Allergy Awareness Educators Box – keeps resources together and clearly visible on a shelf
- Three educational children’s books – with teaching points
- Printable Discussion points for teachers
- 5 allergy awareness posters – visual posters for children who are not yet reading
- Tips for parents – starting kindy sheet – emailed and hard copy to share with parents
- Certificates, activity sheets and handouts are emailed to your centre
- To request more details on our childcare packs please click below link with your centres details.
ALLERGY AWARENESS SESSIONS
Our allergy sessions are specifically designed to raise food allergy awareness in childcare centres and encourage young children to practice safe prevention strategies. Through our interactive SMART sessions, we help children become Food Allergy Smart.
Sessions are aimed at :
3-5 year-olds – preschool and early learning centres
These sessions are always fun and create lots of discussions.
FEBRUARY 2024
Sunshine Coast 6-8
Sydney 12-16 – FULL
Brisbane – 22 – FULL
Melbourne 26 Feb – 1 March – FULL
March 2024
Sunshine Coast – 7 & 21
Sydney 11-15 – extra dates just added FULL
Brisbane – 25 – 27 FULL
April 2024
Northern Rivers/Byron – 8 – 9. FULL
Sunshine Coast – 17 – 19 FULL
Gold Coast – 22 – 24 FULL
Brisbane – 29 – 30 FULL
May 2024
Sydney 6 – 10 – FULL
Sydney 20 – 24 – FULL
June 2024
Brisbane 7 FULL
July 2024
Melbourne 22 – 26 – 1 left
Brisbane 10 – 12 – FULL
August 2024
Hervey Bay 7 – 9 – FULL
Melbourne 26 – 30 – FULL
September 2024
Sydney 10 – 13 – FULL
October 2024
Sydney 14 – 18 – Full
Brisbane 23 – 24- 1 left
November 2024
Sydney 4 – 8 – 1 left
Melbourne 18 – 22 – 7 left
New events are being added so please join our waitlist for 2025
FEBRUARY 2023
QLD 7-9 – FULL
QLD 22 – FULL
Sydney 13-17 – FULL
Melbourne 25 Feb – 6 March FULL
MARCH 2023
Melbourne 27 – 31 – FULL
Brisbane/Sunshine Coast/Gold Coast – 21 – 24 – FULL
MAY 2023
Allergy Awareness Month
Brisbane/Sunshine Coast/Gold Coast – 2-4 Full
Sydney 15 -19 Full
JUNE 2023
Sydney 29 May – 2 June FULL
QLD 19 – 23 Full
July 2023
Melbourne 17 – 21 FULL
August 2023
Hervey Bay 2 – 4 1 spot left
Melbourne 14 – 18 5 spots left
QLD TBC 28 – 29 4 spots left
SEPTEMBER 2023
Sydney – 4 – 8 Full
New dates are being added so please contact us and get on our waitlist for future events
Allergies are serious but learning about them can be FUN!
Benefits of the Food Allergy SMART Program
1 in 10 infants will be diagnosed with food allergy in Australia
- Reduces bullying as children are aware of the seriousness of allergies
- Normalises allergies
- Creates food allergy awareness and understanding
- Creates a safer environment
- Children learn how to recognise an allergic reaction and know how to get help
- Improves understanding of food allergies and anaphylaxis
- Life-threatening allergies are not confined to nuts
- Peers supporting friends
- Reduces social anxiety for allergic children
- Including all children – teaches inclusiveness and empathy
- Assists early learning services to meet their duty of care requirements
- Reduces chances of an allergic reaction by allergy awareness and minimising allergens within the classroom
- Brings the community together and reduces bullying
REQUEST MORE INFORMATION ON OUR CHILDCARE PACKS
LEAD THE WAY IN ALLERGY AWARENESS
What Educators are Saying About the Program
The children loved the show! That would be great if you could email the templates for Thai & Rabbie. Thank you for coming to our service, we look forward to seeing you next year!
Thank you so much Jackie,
All of these resources are such a wonderful tool to use for our service.
We appreciate your assistance with Allergy awareness week especially as we have lots of children in our centre with specific food allergies.
Director – 2017
Thank you Jackie, we really enjoyed the session. The children certainly learned a lot.
Colleen – Sydney 2019
Thanks so much Jackie, The educators were very impressed with your session and the children loved it! I have been letting all councils other services know how good you were – Franca 2016
Thank you for coming into our center. The kids and Educators loved the information. Hope to see you again next year.
The children loved the show! That would be great if you could email the templates for Thai & Rabbie. Thank you for coming to our service, we look forward to seeing you next year!
I just wanted to say thank you for coming in last Monday and visiting us here at My Stepping Stones Haberfield. The Preschoolers LOVED having you (and Rabbie!) talk to us about the importance of not sharing food with their friends, washing hands before AND after mealtimes, and how important it is to tell a teacher or adult when a friend is having an allergic reaction and being aware of the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. During dramatic play in the kitchen, we can hear the Preschoolers use “NO! DANGER FOOD!” when cooking or serving food to their peers. Thank you again for coming in and we will see you again soon!
– Preschool Room 2021
Thank you for such a wonderfully informative presentation, the children and teachers enjoyed the morning.
– Director Bambini House 2021
Thanks again as well for your sessions last week… they were great! – Leanne
Thanks so much again for the incursion you and Thai did at MSS Rose Bay. The children, parents, and educators have thoroughly enjoyed this!
We’ve been repeating the 5 ways of helping and we will continue to do so
Amy – Sydney 2019
This is great, thank you! This really helps children get a greater understanding for allergies and is very beneficial for our service.
Davina – Brisbane 2022
Thanks Jackie. We loved having you visit our services again this year – Jodie
Thanks Jackie,
They are still chatting about the session this morning which is great!
Bronwen – Montessori Gold Coast
Thanks so much again for the incursion you and Thai did at MSS Rose Bay. The children, parents, and educators have thoroughly enjoyed this!
We’ve been repeating the 5 ways of helping and we will continue to do so
Amy – Sydney 2019
This is great, thank you! This really helps children get a greater understanding for allergies and is very beneficial for our service.
Davina – Brisbane 2022
Thanks again Jackie, for another great visit!!! The posters will be very useful as well ?
Gemma – Brisbane 2023
Thank you again.
The children really enjoyed it
Little Zak’s Academy – Ultimo 2022
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Thanks for coming. My team and the children really loved the incursion. They mentioned that the information was great!
Maggy -Little Zak’s Academy Mount Colah Centre 2022
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