Child and youth care workers: Profile, nutrition knowledge and food safety and hygiene practices

Background: Facilities concerned with children ‘in need of care’ should not only be considered as a last resort for a child’s care, but also as an intervention that requires more than addressing a child’s basic physical needs. The nutritional needs of children are particularly important to consider as they are a fundamental part of the care provided. Objectives: The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to investigate the profile, nutrition knowledge, food safety and hygiene practices of child and youth care workers (CCWs) in residential care settings in order to guide the development of a food preparation and nutrition manual. Method: The residential care settings included in this study were three that were selected randomly in Durban. CCWs ( N = 40) employed permanently or part-time were included. Convenience purposive sampling of the CCWs was undertaken. A structured self-administered questionnaire, developed and tested for this purpose, was used to gather information on the profile, nutrition knowledge, food safety and hygiene practices. The data were analysed for descriptive statistics (means and frequencies). Results: The majority of CCWs were women aged 18−34 years. Very few had completed a relevant tertiary qualification. The results indicated that the respondents’ knowledge was fair on general nutrition guidelines, but there were areas of concern. Specifically, knowledge on recommended fruit and vegetable intake, correct serving sizes and importance of a variety in the diet were lacking. Some knowledge about food safety and hygiene practices was demonstrated, but not in totality. Conclusion: The overall findings supported the development of a comprehensive food preparation and nutrition manual for child residential care facilities. Agtergrond: Fasiliteite gemoeid met kinders ‘in die behoefte van sorg’ nie net beskou moet word as ’n laaste uitweg vir ’n kind se sorg nie, maar ook as ’n intervensie wat meer as net die basiese en fisiese behoeftes van kinders aanspreek. Die voedingsbehoeftes van kinders is veral belangrik om te oorweeg as ’n fundamentele element van versorging. Doelwit: Die doel van hierdie beskrywende kwantitatiewe studie was om die profiel, voeding kennis en voedsel- veiligheid en higiene van kinder-en jeugsorgwerkers te ondersoek in residensiele sorg instellings met die doel om ’n voedsel voorbereiding en voedings handleiding te ontwikkel. Metode: Die residensiele sorg instellings het bestaan uit drie ewekansig gekiesde kinderhuise in Durban. Die studie het bestaan uit kinder-en jeugsorgwerkers ( N = 40) in permanente of deeltydse poste. ’n Doelgerigte steekproef van die kinder-en jeugsorgwerkers is onderneem. ’n Gestruktureerde self-geadministreerde vraelys, ontwikkel en getoets vir hierdie doel, is gebruik om inligting oor die profiel, voeding kennis, voedselveiligheid en higieniese praktyke van die kinder- en jeugsorgwerkers in te samel. Die data is ontleed vir beskrywende statistieke. Resultate: Die meerderheid van die kinder- en jeugsorgwerkers was vroulik, tussen die ouderdomme van 18−34 jaar. Min het ‘n toepaslike tersiere kwalifikasie gehad. Dit blyk uit die resultate dat die respondente se algemene voeding riglyne was aanvaarbaar. Die resultate het gedui op ’n gebrek aan kennis oor die aanbevole vrugte en groente inname, korrekte porsiegroottes en die belangrikheid van ’n verskeidenheid in die dieet. Die respondente het tot ’n mindere mate kennis oor voedselveiligheid en higiene gehad. Gevolgtrekking: Die algemene bevindinge ondersteun die ontwikkeling van ’n omvattende voedsel voorbereiding en voedings handleiding vir kinder residensiele sorg instellings.