Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020: children's rights and wellbeing impact assessment

CRWIA Stage 1

Screening- key questions
(Hyperlink will only work within SG)

1. Name the policy, and describe its overall aims.

The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008.This policy will replace the existing regulations which govern the nutritional requirements for school food and drink, replacing them with those recommendations made by the Technical Working Group in its report which was published in 2017.

2.What aspects of the policy/measure will affect children and young people up to the age of 18?

All aspects of this policy will affect children and young people of school age – where they attend education authority or grant aided schools and choose to take school meals.The regulation, and therefore policy, also applies to evening meals provided in hostels maintained by a local authority for pupils.

The regulation also applies to food and drink served in schools at other times of the day, including breakfast clubs, tuckshops, vending machines and after school clubs held on school premises.

3. What likely impact – direct or indirect – will the policy/measure have on children and young people?

The policy is intended to have a beneficial effect on the health of children and young people by aligning school food and drink provision more closely to the Scottish Dietary Goals, which were updated in 2016.

This will ensure they have access to balanced and nutritious food and drink across the school day, including lunch, and where a pupil resides in a local authority run hostel, they will also benefit from a balanced and nutritious evening meal which must comply with the regulations.

4. Which groups of children and young people will be affected?

This policy will apply to publicly-funded primary, secondary and special schools.

Although the regulations do not apply to them, it may also have an effect in independent schools who voluntarily chose to adopt some of the measures set out in the regulations.

This policy will affect any child or young person who attends a publicly-funded school in Scotland, i.e. a local authority run or grant-aided school, where they choose to take school meals (regardless of whether those school meals are free or paid-for).

In 2018, there were 348,728 children and young people taking school meals in Scottish schools. 188,112 of those were taking a free school meal.

This policy will also affect any pupil who resides and takes a meal in a local authority run hostel.

This policy will also affect any pupils who choose to take food or drink provided in schools at other times of the day for example breakfast clubs, tuckshops, vending machines and after school clubs held on school premises.

5. Will this require a CRWIA?

A CRWIA will be undertaken.The impact of this policy is expected to have a beneficial effect on the health of children and young people who are of school age.

CRWIA Declaration
Tick relevant section, and complete the form.

CRWIA required
Y

CRWIA not required

Authorisation

Policy lead
Douglas Forrester, Support and Wellbeing Unit, Learning Directorate

Date 2 August 2019

Deputy Director or equivalent
Name, title, division(or equivalent)
Kit Wyeth, Deputy Director, IAW

Date 2 August 2019