“I now have the confidence to make healthier choices for my family” – the HENRY programme launches in Northern Ireland

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has officially launched the early years obesity prevention programme, HENRY, to help support families to provide the best start in life for babies and children.

The 8-week HENRY programme equips health visiting teams and Sure Start staff with the knowledge, skills and confidence to tackle sensitive issues including raising the issue of overweight and obesity. Trained facilitators across the five local health and social care trusts work with families over the course of 8-weeks either through group-based sessions or a targeted one-to-one programme.

The focus of the programme is to help increase motivation and confidence in the ability to make healthier choices by, adopting a holistic approach focusing on parenting skills, family lifestyle habits, diet and nutrition, physical activity, and emotional wellbeing.

It does this by using a range of techniques, including positive parenting skills training, creating a tailored plan to meet individual needs, goal setting, and identifying ways to increase physical activity.

Mum Sophie Lester, from Armagh, gave birth to her baby Charlotte last June. During one of her reviews with her health visitor, Sophie found out Charlotte’s weight wasn’t matching up to her height and she was offered to join a targeted one-to-one HENRY programme a few weeks later.

She said: “I was anxious at first, thinking there was a problem, and when I was asked if I’d like to join the HENRY programme I didn’t really think it was for me to be honest but I’m so glad I took part now as it really helped me gain the confidence I needed.

“I was at the point of not knowing what was right or wrong but the programme really offered a safe space. My facilitator Noleen helped me develop a plan of navigating challenging situations. There was no judgement and if I didn’t feel confident doing something, at no point did Noleen say no. She really took the time to get to know Charlotte and she loved her.

“I can now look at Charlotte’s plate and know what she needs or what is missing. It’s really changed our whole perspective on food. She now eats what we eat and we have a better routine when it comes to meal times. Her favourite meal is a Thai red curry, believe it or not.

“I would highly recommend the programme to anyone who is invited. It’s such a fantastic initiative and I now have the confidence to make healthier choices for my family.”

Aine McIvor, from Derry/ Londonderry, also benefitted from the programme’s group-based sessions.

She said: “I really benefitted from learning about goal setting and how small changes can make a big difference. For me, it was distractions. I used to always turn the TV on first thing in the morning and I realised it was actually a distraction for my kids at breakfast time so I stopped turning it on and it made a huge difference. It put more of a focus on breakfast and our day started off so much better.

“Everybody is different, but the groups are great because you can build a network of people around you and learn from others. I learned that routines and consistency really have an impact on everyday life. It also helped me with my other children who are older as well. I would recommend the HENRY programme to anyone who is invited. I regularly signpost others to the programme and encourage people to contact their local Sure Start or health visitor for more information.”

In Northern Ireland, 21% of children are living with overweight or obesity by the time they enter primary school.

Dr Joanne McClean, Director of Public Health at PHA, said: “Maintaining a healthy weight is important for our health and wellbeing and we should all be concerned about the impact on our health of being overweight or obese. Carrying too much weight can put you at risk of developing a range of serious health conditions such as stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Reducing the numbers of children living with overweight and obesity is a public health priority, given inequalities are widening, particularly in areas of deprivation. We know that being overweight or obese is more common in these areas, so we are committed to making people aware of these issues and putting measures in place to enable them to take positive actions to improve their health.

“The HENRY programme aims to support families to provide the best possible start in life for babies and children. It also aims to help parents gain confidence to make positive lifestyle changes and healthier food choices that will benefit the whole family.”

So far, over 250 HENRY sessions have been delivered online and face-to-face, with over 500 parents taking part, and over 700 children reached.

Dr McClean continued: “We have seen a significant increase in parenting confidence, emotional wellbeing, fruit and vegetable intake and water consumption, and a reduction in drinking fizzy drinks. We hope the outcomes of this programme continue to benefit many more children and families across Northern Ireland.”

Danielle McKenna, Project Manager at Clogher Valley Sure Start, which runs the HENRY programme, added: “We have been running the programme for a number of years now and it has had such a positive impact on the parents and children in our area. The whole idea of a healthy life and positive parenting approaches is all factored into the HENRY programme. From healthy eating to screen time and wellbeing initiatives, all our parents really benefit from the programme and we would highly recommend it.”

To find out more about the HENRY programme in Northern Ireland, visit www.pha.site/HENRYNI

If you would like to contact a HENRY facilitator in your area and find out if you are eligible for the programme, visit www.pha.site/HENRYFacilitators

HENRY stands for ‘Health, Exercise, Nutrition for the really young’