There are no grants available to crèches, pre-schools to employ the services of an exercise or fitness teacher. Health boards provide some financial support to certain pre-school services, which cater for children who are regarded as being at risk or disadvantaged. This function is in keeping with the health boards overall responsibility under the Child Care Act 1991 in regard to the promotion of welfare of children and the provision of family welfare services.
Under the equal opportunities child care programme the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform provides staffing grants towards the cost of child care staff in community not-for-profit pre-school services.
However, the Department of Health and Children has identified school children as one of the groups that should be given priority during the planning and delivery of programmes and initiatives for good health throughout life. In the Government's National Health Promotion Strategy 2000-2005, there is a focus on two major objectives for children as follows: to promote healthy eating and a healthy body image among schoolgoing children and young people; to facilitate the implementation of health education and health promotion programmes, in partnership with the Department of Education and Science in the implementation of social, personal and health education in all schools consistent with the health promoting schools concept.