Implementation of policies and practices to increase physical activity among children attending centre‐based childcare: a cross‐sectional study

Issue addressed: Supporting centre‐based childcare services to create physical activity (PA) environments is a recommended strategy to improve child PA. This study aimed to describe the implementation of PA policies and practices by these services, and to examine the associations with service characteristics. Methods: Nominated supervisors of childcare services (n = 309) in the Hunter New England region, New South Wales, Australia, completed a telephone interview. Using previously validated measures, the interview assessed the implementation of evidence‐based practices shown to be associated with child PA. This includes: (a) provision of active play opportunities, (b) portable play equipment availability, (c) delivery of daily fundamental movement skills, (d) having at least 50% of staff trained in promoting child PA the past 5 years and (e) having written PA and small screen recreation policies. Results: Although 98% (95% CI 96, 99) of childcare services provided active play opportunities for at least 25% of their daily opening hours, only 8% (95% CI 5, 11) of services fully implemented all policies and practices; with no service characteristic associated with full implementation. Long day care service had twice the odds of having a written PA policy (OR 2.0, 95% CI 0.7, 5.8), compared to preschools (adjusted for service size, socio‐economic disadvantage and geographical location). Conclusions: Improvements could be made to childcare services’ operations to support the promotion of child PA. So what? To ensure the benefits to child health, childcare services require support to implement a number of PA promoting policies and practices that are known to improve child PA.