Nursery World - Dramatic variations in children's health by location revealed

New research reveals how the health and development of the
under-fives varies dramatically depending on where they grow up in
England.

The findings have been published ahead of next month's transfer of responsibility for public health services aimed at the under-fives, from Government to local authorities.

According to the National Children's Bureau's (NCB) report, children who grow up in deprived areas are more likely to have poor health and educational outcomes than those from more affluent parts of the country.

For example, the latest data shows 31.6 per cent of four- to five-year-olds in the most deprived areas of the country suffer from tooth decay, as opposed to 18.4 per cent in the most affluent areas (see infographic below).

The report, which compares the 30 most deprived local authorities with the 30 most affluent, uses data on four key outcomes for children's health and development in the early years: obesity, tooth decay, hospital admissions due to injury, and children achieving a good level of development by the end of Reception.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included