Nursery World - Government is accused of failing to improve children's health

The Government has failed to improve children's health despite spending more than 10bn on targeted policies and programmes since 1998, according to a new report.

The report, Giving Children a Healthy Start , published today by independent watchdog the Audit Commission, claims that Government policies and programmes for the under-fives have failed to bridge the gap between disadvantaged children and others, with children from deprived areas more likely to be obese and to have poor dental health.

The report found that local policies for children vary widely, and that minority groups are failing to access Sure Start Children’s Centres because they are unaware of the service or feel as if they are being judged by health professionals.

It also revealed that although there are fewer deaths in infancy and obesity rates are slowing down overall, the infant mortality rate in England still remains higher than France, the Republic of Ireland and Spain.

Steve Bundred, chief executive of the Audit Commission, said, ‘It’s encouraging to see some improvement in the health of babies and young children, but the under-fives rarely seem a priority locally.

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