Nutrition Support for Children and Young People in Foster Care, Kinship Care and Out of Home Care

Caring for a child in foster care, kinship care or residential care comes with unique joys and challenges. Many children entering Out of Home Care have experienced significant life changes, trauma, neglect or inconsistent access to food. Their relationship with eating may be complex, and mealtimes can sometimes feel overwhelming for both children and carers.

At Optimum Intake Dietitians, we understand that nutrition is about much more than food. Our Accredited Practising Dietitians provide compassionate, practical and trauma-informed nutrition support that helps children build positive relationships with food while supporting carers to feel confident during everyday meals.

Whether a child or young person has medical nutrition needs, sensory challenges, selective eating, growth concerns or simply needs support to develop a healthier relationship with food, we work collaboratively with carers, case managers, healthcare professionals, and support teams to develop realistic strategies that fit the child’s environment and daily routines.

We offer appointments in our clinics, through home visits and via telehealth across the Central Coast, Newcastle and surrounding regions.

We Understand the Unique Needs of Children in Out of Home Care

Every child’s story is different.

Some children have experienced food insecurity or hunger.

Others may have learnt to hide food, overeat when food is available or become highly anxious around meals.

Some children have sensory differences, autism, ADHD or developmental conditions that affect eating.

Others may be living with medical conditions that require specialised nutrition support.

Many children simply need time, consistency and safe experiences around food to rebuild trust.

Our role is to help carers understand the reasons behind eating behaviours and provide practical strategies that support long-term health, wellbeing and positive mealtime experiences.

Kids eating kitchen

How Our Dietitians Can Help

Selective and Fussy Eating
Helping children gradually expand food variety while respecting sensory preferences and reducing stress around meals.
Growth and Nutrition Concerns
Supporting healthy growth, weight gain or weight management where appropriate while ensuring children receive the nutrients they need to thrive.
Trauma-Informed Eating Support
Understanding how previous experiences with food, neglect, inconsistent food access or adverse childhood experiences may influence eating behaviours today.
Sensory Eating Challenges
Supporting children with autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences or oral sensory sensitivities that make eating difficult.
Medical Nutrition Management
Developing practical meal plans and food strategies for children living with conditions such as:

  • Food allergies
  • Coeliac disease
  • Diabetes
  • Gastrointestinal conditions
  • Constipation
  • Reflux
  • Iron deficiency
  • Poor growth
  • Tube feeding or nutrition supplements where required

Appetite Concerns
Many children take medications that can reduce appetite or alter hunger cues, particularly medications used to manage ADHD and other mental health conditions.

We help carers maximise nutrition during periods of reduced appetite while monitoring growth and nutritional adequacy.
Building Positive Relationships with Food
Helping children move away from fear, anxiety or conflict around eating by creating positive, predictable and supportive mealtime experiences.

Child eating fruit

How We Support Foster Carers, Kinship Carers and Residential Care Teams

Caring for a child who has experienced trauma can leave carers wondering whether eating behaviours are related to sensory needs, previous life experiences, medical conditions or typical childhood development.

Our dietitians provide practical, realistic guidance that carers can confidently use every day.

  • Developing calm and predictable mealtime routines.
  • Supporting food hoarding, food seeking or anxiety around food.
  • Understanding trauma-related eating behaviours.
  • Managing sensory-based food preferences.
  • Lunchbox ideas and school nutrition support.
  • Budget-friendly meal planning.
  • Introducing new foods without pressure.
  • Managing challenging mealtime behaviours.
  • Nutrition education for healthy growth and development.
  • Strategies that can be shared across households, schools and support services.

Our goal is to make mealtimes feel calmer, more predictable and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Supporting Medical Conditions and Special Dietary Requirements

Many children in Out of Home Care live with medical conditions that require specialised nutrition support. Our dietitians can help carers understand food requirements, meal planning and ongoing nutrition management for a wide range of health conditions.

We can also support children taking medications that affect appetite, weight or nutritional intake and monitor growth over time.

Working as Part of the Broader Care Team

Children and young people in Care are often supported by multiple professionals. With appropriate consent, our dietitians work collaboratively with:

  • Foster carers
  • Kinship carers
  • Residential care staff
  • Case managers
  • Department case workers
  • General Practitioners
  • Paediatricians
  • Psychologists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Speech Pathologists
  • Schools
  • Support coordinators

By working together we can ensure nutrition goals align with your child’s broader health, developmental and wellbeing goals.

Clinic Appointments, Home Visits and Telehealth

Clinic Appointments

Meet with one of our paediatric dietitians in a welcoming clinic environment where children and carers receive personalised nutrition assessment, education and ongoing support.

Home Visits

Home visits allow us to understand the child’s everyday eating environment and provide highly practical recommendations tailored to your home.

During home visits we may assist with:

  • Pantry and kitchen reviews.
  • Meal planning.
  • Practical meal preparation ideas.
  • Observation of mealtime routines.
  • Environmental strategies that support eating.
  • Education and coaching for carers.

Telehealth

For families living further away or requiring greater flexibility, we also offer secure telehealth consultations.

Why Carers and Care Providers Choose Optimum Intake Dietitians

  • Trauma-informed care.
  • Evidence-based nutrition advice.
  • Child-centred and family-focused approach.
  • Practical strategies for everyday life.
  • Support for both children and carers.
  • Clinic, home visit and telehealth appointments.
  • Collaborative communication with your healthcare team.

We focus on building confidence rather than perfection, helping children develop lifelong nutrition skills within safe and supportive relationships.

Helping Children Build Healthy Relationships with Food

Every child deserves to feel safe around food, enjoy positive mealtimes and receive the nutrition they need to grow, learn and thrive.

If you’re caring for a child in foster care, kinship care or another Out of Home Care arrangement, our experienced dietitians are here to support both you and your child with practical, compassionate nutrition care.

Contact Optimum Intake Dietitians today to book an appointment at one of our clinics, arrange a home visit or schedule a telehealth consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the child need a referral to see a dietitian?

No. You can book directly with one of our dietitians. Some funding programs or Medicare services may require a referral depending on eligibility.xt.

Can you visit the home?

Yes. We offer home visit dietitian services across many areas of the Central Coast, Newcastle and surrounding regions. Home visits are often particularly valuable for children who feel more comfortable in familiar environments.

Can you work with the case manager or child safety team?

Absolutely. With appropriate consent, we regularly communicate with case managers and other healthcare professionals to ensure everyone is working towards the same goals.

The child has experienced trauma around food. Can you help?

Yes.

Many children in Out of Home Care have experienced disrupted eating patterns, food insecurity or stressful experiences around meals.

Our dietitians use a compassionate, trauma-informed approach that helps children rebuild trust with food at a pace that feels safe and achievable.

Can you help if medications affect the child's appetite?

Yes.

Many medications, including some used to treat ADHD and other health conditions, can reduce appetite.

We provide strategies to maximise nutrition, support growth and monitor nutritional intake over time.

The child only eats a very small range of foods.

Selective eating is common, particularly in children with trauma histories, autism, ADHD or sensory processing differences.

Our dietitians assess the reasons behind selective eating before developing practical strategies that support gradual progress without increasing stress at mealtimes.

Can you support children with allergies or medical conditions?

Yes.

Our dietitians provide nutrition support for a wide range of medical conditions including food allergies, coeliac disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal conditions, constipation, reflux, poor growth and other specialised nutrition needs.