Organisations within all local government areas in Victoria have the opportunity to implement INFANT, an evidenced based program that supports families to eat well and be active right from the start of their baby’s life.
INFANT (Infant Feeding, Active play and NuTrition) is delivered by trained Maternal and Child Health nurses and other health professionals through four group sessions when babies are 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age and has a strong emphasis on peer learning and support.
Seed funding, to enhance INFANT implementation within Victorian local government areas (LGAs) will be available until May 2022 to:
- initiate collaboration within the LGA to facilitate the implementation of INFANT
- embed INFANT into organisational procedures, strategic policies and job descriptions.
The LGA will be required to have one organisation responsible for leading the implementation of INFANT in their local area. Comprehensive implementation guidance to embed INFANT into services is also provided.
Facilitator training to deliver the INFANT sessions is free for Victorian health professionals, including all Victorian Maternal and Child Health Nurses and others, who plan to implement INFANT (including Dietitians and Health Promotion Officers). The course is delivered online and is approximately 8 hours in length (self-paced over a four-week period) with annual 1-2 hour updates. The set time period gives you flexibility with when to do the course and ensures that you have a group of peers to work with. Course educators from Deakin University are available during the course to facilitate the discussions, support your learning and answer your questions.
The next INFANT training round will be held 18 April-13 May 2022 and is open for registrations.
The INFANT program is based on over 10 years of research led by the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, and is supported by a comprehensive website and complementary My Baby Now (MBN) app which provides trustworthy information anywhere, anytime for parents from birth into the toddler years.
Join over 400 people who have completed the training, visit the website for more information and register for INFANT training.