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.
'Overall, the findings are disappointing. Children need a healthier start in life and policies are not delivering commensurate improvement and value for money.’
Neil Leitch, director of the Pre-School Learning Alliance’s campaign Feeding Young Imaginations, said, ‘We applaud the Government’s continued investment in and commitment to Sure Start, as it chimes closely with our own principles of helping children to succeed. However, if it is to truly deliver on its promise to achieve positive health and wellbeing outcomes for all children and families, it needs to be accessible and targeted for the families who need it most, and be accompanied by fuller investment in health initiatives specifically for the under-fives.’
To reverse the trends, the Audit Commission is calling for a single set of local priorities to be agreed by those responsible for driving improvements in children’s health, supported by a clear statement of Government policy.
The report also recommends that local councils and the NHS identify the amount they are spending in each area and review their targeting in order to help the most vulnerable groups, as well as monitoring the impact of the economic downturn on children’s services.
