By BEST Childcare Consulting
For most of us, food is love. It is shared in laughter, celebration, and everyday moments of care. But for some children and families, food carries a very different feeling—one of vigilance, anxiety, and constant awareness. A simple bite can hold serious risk. A shared snack can mean exclusion. And a moment that should feel joyful can quickly become overwhelming.
During Food Allergy Week (24th–30th May), led by Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, we are invited to truly step into the perspective of these children and families. To slow down. To listen. And to ask ourselves—are we doing everything we can to ensure every child feels safe, included, and a genuine sense of belonging?
In early childhood settings, this matters deeply. Food is woven through our day—morning tea, shared celebrations, cooking experiences, cultural connections. These are the moments where children build relationships and identity. Guided by the evidence-based practices of Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), we have the opportunity—and responsibility—to ensure these experiences are not only safe, but inclusive, empowering, and grounded in empathy.
Because at its heart, this work is not just about managing allergies.
It is about protecting children.
It is about building trust with families.
And it is about ensuring that no child ever feels like they don’t belong at the table.
Creating Safe Systems: What Early Childhood Services Must Do
Early childhood services have a clear responsibility to ensure that every child with a food allergy is safe, protected, and able to fully participate in daily experiences. This requires more than simply being “aware” of allergies—it demands consistent, embedded systems aligned with best practice guidance from Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia. Services must maintain up-to-date medical management and ASCIA Action Plans, implement rigorous risk minimisation strategies, and ensure all educators are trained and confident in recognising and responding to allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Clear communication with families is essential, alongside strict food handling, supervision, and environmental controls to prevent cross-contamination. Just as importantly, services must foster a culture of inclusion—where policies, routines, and celebrations are thoughtfully planned so no child is excluded or placed at risk due to their allergy.
Empowering Children: Why Allergy Education Matters
It is equally important that children themselves are supported to understand food allergies in ways that are age-appropriate, empowering, and free from fear. Teaching children about allergies helps build their sense of agency—supporting them to recognise what is safe for their own bodies, use their voice to say “no,” and seek help from trusted adults. It also nurtures empathy and respect among peers, helping all children understand why we don’t share food and how to keep each other safe. When children are included in these conversations, they become active participants in creating a safe environment rather than passive recipients of rules. This not only strengthens protective behaviours but also builds a community where differences are understood, respected, and embraced.
Educational Programming Ideas
1. “Safe Foods, Safe Friends” Sorting Experience
Use real packaging (cleaned) or images to sort foods into:
- “Safe for everyone”
- “Sometimes foods”
- “Foods that can make people sick”
ASCIA Food Allergy Resources: https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy
Learning Focus: Builds early awareness without fear, encourages critical thinking, and introduces protective behaviours in a developmentally appropriate way.
2. All About My Body & Keeping Me Safe
Introduce simple, empowering language:
- “Some foods help my body, some foods hurt my body”
- “I only eat food given by my family or educators”
Role-play scenarios where children practice saying:
- “No thank you, I can’t eat that”
ASCIA Anaphylaxis e-training: https://etraining.allergy.org.au/
Learning Focus: Supports agency, voice, and protective behaviours.
3. Inclusive Cooking Experiences
Plan allergy-aware cooking activities:
- Use alternative ingredients (e.g., dairy-free, egg-free)
- Invite families to share safe recipes
Discuss how we can cook in ways that keep everyone safe.
ASCIA Allergy Prevention & Management: https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis
Learning Focus: Promotes inclusion, respect for diversity, and practical safety skills.
4. Emergency Response Role Play (Educator-led)
Using dolls or puppets, demonstrate:
- Recognising when someone feels unwell
- Telling an adult immediately
Educators model calm, confident responses.
ASCIA Action Plans: https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/ascia-action-plan-for-anaphylaxis
Learning Focus: Builds familiarity and reduces fear around emergency responses.
5. “We All Belong” Story & Discussion Time
Read inclusive stories and discuss:
- How we can help our friends feel safe
- Why we don’t share food
Link to broader conversations about kindness and respect.
QIP write up
Quality Area 1 – Educational Program and Practice
Exceeding Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
Allergy awareness and safe food practices were consistently embedded into the educational program, with educators intentionally incorporating learning experiences around safe food choices, protective behaviours, and inclusion. Daily routines such as mealtimes and cooking experiences reflected the safe practices recommended by Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), ensuring children’s learning was both meaningful and grounded in real-life contexts.
Exceeding Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
Educators critically reflected on how planned experiences, celebrations, and spontaneous learning opportunities could pose risks or lead to exclusion. As a result, adjustments were made to ensure all children could safely and confidently participate, with intentional teaching strategies supporting children’s understanding of safety and inclusion.
Exceeding Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
Family knowledge and experiences informed curriculum decisions, with educators working collaboratively with families to ensure allergy-safe practices were accurately reflected. Family input strengthened the authenticity and relevance of the program.
Quality Area 2 – Children’s Health and Safety
Exceeding Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
Robust, consistent allergy management procedures were embedded across the service, including the use of up-to-date ASCIA Action Plans, clear communication systems, and strict food handling protocols. All educators demonstrated confidence in recognising and responding to allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.
Exceeding Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
The team regularly reviewed risk minimisation strategies, emergency response procedures, and supervision practices to ensure they remained effective and aligned with best practice. Scenario-based discussions strengthened educator readiness and response confidence.
Exceeding Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
Families were actively engaged in maintaining accurate medical information, contributing to risk assessments, and supporting consistent approaches between home and the service.
Quality Area 3 – Physical Environment
Exceeding Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
The physical environment was intentionally organised to minimise allergy risks, including clearly designated eating areas, safe food preparation zones, and allergen-aware signage. Resources and materials were selected with consideration of potential allergens.
Exceeding Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
Educators reflected on environmental risks, including cross-contamination points and shared spaces, leading to improvements in layout, cleaning routines, and supervision strategies.
Exceeding Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
Families provided insight into specific environmental considerations for their children, informing adjustments to ensure individual safety needs were met.
Quality Area 4 – Staffing Arrangements
Exceeding Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
All educators consistently followed allergy management procedures, with clear roles and responsibilities in place. Staffing arrangements ensured that trained educators were always present and able to respond effectively to emergencies.
Exceeding Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
The team reflected on staff knowledge and confidence levels, leading to targeted professional learning and ongoing discussions to strengthen consistency and capability across the service.
Exceeding Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
Families expressed confidence in educators’ ability to manage allergies safely, reinforcing trust and supporting strong, collaborative relationships.
Quality Area 5 – Relationships with Children
Exceeding Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
Educators fostered secure, respectful relationships where children felt safe to express their needs, including communicating about food preferences and restrictions. Children were supported to develop agency and confidence in managing their own safety.
Exceeding Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
Educators reflected on their language and interactions to ensure discussions about food and allergies were empowering, inclusive, and free from fear or stigma.
Exceeding Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
Family perspectives informed how educators supported children emotionally, particularly those navigating allergies, ensuring practices were sensitive and responsive.
Quality Area 6 – Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities
Exceeding Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
Strong partnerships with families were embedded in everyday practice, with open, ongoing communication regarding allergies, dietary needs, and safety procedures.
Exceeding Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
Educators reflected on ways to strengthen communication and ensure all families felt informed, respected, and confident in the service’s practices.
Exceeding Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
Families actively contributed to the program by sharing safe recipes, cultural practices, and strategies, enriching the learning environment and promoting inclusion.
Quality Area 7 – Governance and Leadership
Exceeding Theme 1: Practice is embedded in service operations
Leadership ensured that comprehensive policies and procedures aligned with best practice guidelines from Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia were consistently implemented, monitored, and reviewed.
Exceeding Theme 2: Practice is informed by critical reflection
Leaders fostered a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging reflective discussions, reviewing incident responses, and identifying opportunities to strengthen systems and practices.
Exceeding Theme 3: Practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community
Leadership actively sought feedback from families and the broader community to inform decision-making, ensuring policies and practices remained responsive, transparent, and aligned with community needs.
Links and Resources
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia
https://allergyfacts.org.au/
Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
https://www.allergy.org.au/
ASCIA e-training for educators
https://etraining.allergy.org.au/
ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plans
https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/ascia-action-plan-for-anaphylaxis
National Allergy Strategy
https://nationalallergystrategy.org.au/
BEST Childcare Consulting
Food Allergy Week reminds us that safety is not just about policies—it is about people. It is about the quiet reassurance a child feels when they know their needs are understood, the confidence families carry when they trust your service, and the everyday actions of educators who choose inclusion, empathy, and vigilance.
When we embed these practices with intention, guided by trusted frameworks like ASCIA, we move beyond compliance—we create environments where every child can participate fully, safely, and joyfully.
As always, use these inspirations to lead your service throughout the whole year in your everyday practices to truly earn an exceeding rating.
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