Giving Children a Healthy Start, published last week by independent watchdog the Audit Commission, claims that government policies and programmes for the under-fives have failed to bridge the gap between disadvantaged and advantaged children, with children from deprived areas more likely to be obese and to have poor dental health.
The study found that local policies for children vary widely and 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 reveals that while there are fewer deaths in infancy and obesity rates are slowing down overall, England's infant mortality rate still remains higher than France, the Republic of Ireland or Spain.
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