In the event of forgetting your password, click here. Remember, your username is your email address and the password was set when you first registered. If you know your password and username, but still can’t login, then try using a different browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome). If you still can’t login, then contact support: hnelhd-swapit@health.nsw.gov.au 

For schools who register to be part of SWAP IT, they will receive one term of weekly messages, then two messages per term ongoing. Messages will be sent to your parent community via your school’s usual parent communication channels (e.g. Skoolbag app) or you can download and add these messages directly to your school newsletter or Facebook page. You also gain unlimited online access to SWAP IT resources, including short staff training videos, school lunchbox guidelines template and curriculum and parent resources. You can find out more about the SWAP IT program here.

Healthy food and nutrition is good for the body, the mind and even academic achievement. By improving lunchboxes, we can make a huge difference to a child’s daily food intake and wellbeing. Everyday foods help kids to grow and learn. By swapping a sometimes food for an everyday food we are setting children up for the best possible mental and behavioural performance at school and at home. Evaluation on the SWAP IT program to date has found a broad range of benefits to schools, teachers, parents and students. You can find out more about these here.

SWAP IT is a simple and easy to run program in your school that is designed to not be an “extra” thing that schools need to worry about.  Most of the work is done for you! Initially when you register for the SWAP IT program,  your school will receive a terms worth of weekly messages to your parent community, then two messages per term ongoing. This will be automatically via the Skoolbag app or you can download and add these messages directly to your school newsletter or Facebook page. You will also gain unlimited online access to SWAP IT resources for parents and teachers to support the program.

If you are a teacher or School Principal, you can find relevant help with the program by logging in and viewing program resources or watching the short training video. For other support with the program you can seek support by contacting hnelhd-swapit@health.nsw.gov.au. 

All documents and templates are housed in the School Resources section on the website. You will be required to login with your schools username and password to view some of the resources (if your school is registered to receive the SWAP IT program). You can also search for particular resources via the search button on the top right hand location on the website.

You will be given the opportunity to provide valuable feedback on the SWAP IT program approximately 6 months following your registration with the program. If you would like to provide feedback prior to this, please complete an enquiry/comment form here.

The surveys provides you with an opportunity to provide valuable feedback on the SWAP IT program, and the ways that it was promoted. The feedback will allow SWAP IT to continually improve the program to ensure that it meets the needs of schools, parents and students.

All school details and contact information is strictly confidential and only used by the project team to identify schools participating in SWAP IT.

If you are a parent and have expressed your interest to receive SWAP IT messages without school involvement, all personal information (including name and contact details etc) is strictly confidential and will only be used to contact you when this part of the program is ready to roll out.

The nature of the relationship between the SWAP IT program and individual School Key Contacts will likely vary. School Key Contacts should expect to receive minimal contact from the SWAP IT program and occasional email reminders regarding the program. You also may be invited to complete up to 2 surveys during the program.  

If your school would like extra support with implementing the SWAP IT program, we’d love to help! Get in contact with the SWAP IT team here.

The nature of the relationship between the SWAP IT program and the school principal will likely vary. If the school principal is the main contact for the SWAP IT program, they should expect to receive minimal contact from the SWAP IT program and occasional email reminders regarding the program. You may also be invited to complete up to 2 surveys during the program. If another school key contact is the main contact for the program, the principal should expect minimal to no direct contact from the SWAP IT program.

Schools can opt out of the SWAP IT program at any time, by contacting a member of the SWAP IT project team. To opt out via email, please contact SWAP IT at hnelhd-swapit@health.nsw.gov.au.

Yes, the SWAP IT messages can be sent via your school newsletter. There are 10 SWAP IT messages, and these have been designed to be sent electronically to parents weekly for one school term. The program was found to be effective when messages were sent directly to parents via the school’s parent communication app, but can also be adapted to suit your school's needs. Before including the messages in your newsletter, consider whether another communication method may be more appropriate (for example, a school communication app, Facebook) or send us an email to discuss the communication strategy that would be most effective at reaching the parents/carers at your school. 

There are 10 SWAP IT messages, that have been designed to be sent electronically to parents weekly over one school term. Our research shows that SWAP IT messages are effective when sent to parents weekly. Our team has experience in distributing the SWAP IT messages using other platforms, including school communication apps and Facebook, which may support weekly messages to parents/carers. Different message formats can be downloaded via the school portal including as PDFs with active hyperlinks and Facebook posts.

If fortnightly communication to families is your only option, your school can still share the messages via the fortnightly newsletter, this can either be done by including: 

  1. Two messages per newsletter; or, 
  2. One message per newsletter and running the program over two school terms. 

The SWAP IT program is only available to schools that cater for primary school aged children. It has been extensively trialled in NSW primary schools and is designed to meet the nutrition needs of primary school aged children (approximately 5 – 12 years of age). For this reason, the SWAP IT program is only available to schools that cater for primary school aged children. 

SWAP IT is currently recruiting parents of primary school aged children who are interested in receiving the program direct via SMS.   

If you are interested, please register here

There is nothing worse than a full lunchbox and a hungry child at the end of a school day. The SWAP IT program includes strategies that are aimed at creating a school environment that encourages healthy eating and therefore improving the likelihood that children enjoy the healthier, everyday foods that are packed in their lunchbox. We have created resources to help guide schools to promote healthy eating, including school lunchbox guidelines, classroom activities and lesson plans. 

You can also support your child by modelling healthy eating habits, such as sharing a healthy meal together or cooking together. See our various parent/carer resources on our website, including Tips for Fussy Easters

Project Partners

SWAP IT was developed by NSW Health and the University of Newcastle. Implementation support provided by the following partner organisations as part of externally funded scale-up trials:

Whilst brands may be depicted in these images and videos, SWAP IT and Good For Kids has no affiliation and do not endorse any specific food brand. We do not warrant that the information we provide will meet individual health, nutritional or medical requirements, or individual school policy.

Artwork: "The heart of a child" by Lara Went, Worimi Artist.