About County Durham Healthy Settings approach

Healthy settings key principles include:

The overall aim of the County Durham Healthy Settings approach is to improve the health and wellbeing of the whole population through the development of health promoting frameworks across different settings, informed by local conversations and evidence.

The process

The Healthy Settings Framework applies six core components of the continuous improvement process to inform and improve the quality of delivery within settings. The framework criteria have flexibility to enable settings to develop an approach that aligns with their priorities yet ensures the fundamental principles of the framework are followed. The framework is a continual process of development comprising of six core components:

County Durham Healthy Settings

The Public Health team has worked collaboratively with colleagues across settings to develop the below frameworks.

Work is ongoing with other identified settings across County Durham to develop Healthy Settings frameworks.

Early Years Healthy Settings Framework

The Framework aims to address health needs, reduce health inequalities and teach healthy behaviour in children aged 0-5 years and their families through a whole settings approach.

The framework focuses on five core themes - physical activity, healthy eating, unintentional injuries, oral health and emotional health and wellbeing - and settings can access resources and training to support them to achieve health setting status.

If you are an early years provider, access the County Durham Early Years Healthy Settings Framework.

School Health and Wellbeing Framework

The School Health and Wellbeing Framework aims to improve health and wellbeing related outcomes and reduce health inequalities through a whole settings approach. The framework will benefit both children and young people and staff within the education setting.

The framework includes a self-assessment, access to training and resources, and opportunities for peer support.

If you are an education setting, access the Schools and Education Settings: Health and Wellbeing Framework.

Cree Network

The Cree project launched in November 2011, originally based on the Australian Men's Shed movement (Cree being a local colloquialism for sheds). Since 2011, County Durham Cree network has evolved and expanded to offer a safe, communal space to men, women and young people who may be experiencing poor mental health, risk of social isolation, self-harm, suicide and general health and wellbeing.

For more information about the Cree Network, see County Durham Cree Network.