Beyond Local Champions: Contextual Factors Shaping the Implementation of Healthy Eating Interventions in Centre‐Based Care – A Qualitative Study With Educators and Cooks

The early childhood education and care (ECEC) setting provides a critical opportunity to reach young children and families to support optimal nutrition and development. Despite the abundance of healthy eating interventions delivered in this setting, the most effective ways to improve children's diets remain unclear. These efforts are hindered by our limited understanding of the complex set of factors that influence the successful implementation of healthy eating interventions. This study aims to explore early childhood educator and cooks' experiences of the contextual factors influencing the implementation of healthy eating policies and practices. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with 10 educators and cooks from New South Wales, Australia. The Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research was used to guide data collection. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Educators and cooks expressed commitment to implementing healthy eating policies and described support from directors and local health services. However, ECEC sector conditions inhibited implementation success. Barriers to implementation included inadequate collaboration between management, educators, cooks and parents; limited opportunities for partnerships and networking within the ECEC sector and beyond; and insufficient nutrition education and training. Addressing broader systems-level factors by strengthening work infrastructure, partnerships, and nutrition education and training opportunities is necessary to improve the implementation success of healthy eating policies and practices in the ECEC sector. SO WHAT?: Findings can inform policymakers to consider barriers faced by ECEC staff in implementing healthy eating interventions.