| Effective Term: | 2026/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Health and Wellbeing |
| Unit Title: | Infant and Child Nutrition |
| Unit ID: | HEALM6306 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 060303 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Upon completion of this unit, students will demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and clinical competence in infant and child nutrition, with a focus on supporting families from birth to six years of age. They will apply advanced assessment skills and evidence-based strategies to deliver tailored nutrition advice, education, and support within a family-centred care framework. Students will understand the significance of optimal nutrition in shaping long-term and intergenerational health outcomes, and will be equipped to advocate for breastfeeding and healthy eating practices in alignment with primary health care and public health policy. They will also apply family assessment models and tools to identify nutritional needs and challenges, enabling them to provide responsive, culturally appropriate care to diverse and vulnerable populations. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | |  | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Critically examine the role of health care practitioners in promoting and supporting breastfeeding and optimal nutrition within a family-centred care framework. |
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| K2. | Evaluate the relationship between nutrition and the health status of infants and children, integrating contemporary research to inform practice. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Conduct comprehensive feeding and nutritional assessments for infants and children up to six years of age, using appropriate screening tools. |
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| S2. | Demonstrate culturally responsive communication skills to collaborate with families and develop accessible feeding plans, including for complex feeding challenges. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Advocate for infants, children, and families within the health care system, applying primary health care and public health principles to nutrition-related care. |
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| A2. | Integrate contemporary research evidence to develop, implement, and evaluate nutritional care plans for infants and children. |
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| A3. | Assess infant's and children's nutritional status, identify deviations from expected development, and initiate appropriate referrals to health or community services. |
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| Unit Content: |
The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLE) International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) Detailed Content Outline (2016); WHO/UNICEF Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (2006); WHO/UNICEF Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (2009); WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (1981); Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy: 2019 and Beyond (2019); 2010 Australian National Infant Feeding Survey (2010); NHMRC Infant Feeding Guidelines: Information for health workers (2012); ANMAC Midwife Accreditation Standards (2021); NMBA Midwife Standards for Practice (2018); NMBA Code of Conduct for the Midwife (2018), Code of Ethics for the Midwife (2014), NMBA Registered Nurse Standards for Practice (2016); NMBA Code of Conduct for nurses (2018), Code of Ethics for nurses (2012) and Maternal and Child Health Service Standards (2019); VAMCHN Professional Standards for Practice (2024) have substantially informed the syllabus/content of this unit.
- Global perspectives of breastfeeding and nutrition
- Early breastfeeding considerations
- Breastfeeding throughout infancy and childhood
- Common breastfeeding difficulties
- Breast milk substitutes
- Developmental perspectives of nutrition
- Introduction of solids
- Nutrition for the infant and child
- Complex feeding issues
- Contemporary issues in nutrition
- Health professional's role in nutrition
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| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate high-level skills to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups Students will be required to display (in person and/or online) high-level skills in-person and/or online in: • Effective verbal and non-verbal communication via a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods • Active listening for meaning and influencing • High-level empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating extended conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams | Y - Present | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply leadership skills and behaviours Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating, contributing to, and enabling collegial environments • Showing self-awareness and the ability to self-reflect for personal growth • Inspiring and enabling others • Making informed and evidence-based decisions through consultation with others • Displaying initiative and ability to solve problems | Y - Present | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complex and ambiguous environments, using their imagination to create new ideas Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically on complex problems • Synthesising, evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Proposing alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts through deep inquiry • Proposing creative solutions in problem solving | Y - Present | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work proficiently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks Students will be required to display high-level skills in: • Finding, accessing, collating, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and appropriately and securely sharing complex digital information at a high-level • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Using digital tools appropriately to conduct research • Contributing proficiently to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and utilising digital learning opportunities | Y - Present | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to think ethically and sustainably. Students will be required to display skills in: • The responsible conduct of research • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in multiple global economic environmental and societal contexts • Demonstrating commitment to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Generating research solutions which are sustainable,ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable • Extending lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Demonstrate extended actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Y - Present |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K2, A2, A3 | Nutritional concept map. | Concept Map | 20-40% | | 2. | K1, K2, S1, S2, A1, A2, A3 | Application of theoretical concepts to an infant or child feeding issue. | Written Task or Video Presentation | 30-50% | | 3. | K2, S2, A1, A2, A3 | Theoretical concepts, knowledge and skills required to partner with families to provide evidence based information and assessment/management regarding infant and child nutrition. | Oral Test | 40-60% |
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