When will policymakers listen?
The Academy of Medical Sciences released a concerning report this month documenting wide-ranging evidence of declining health among children under five in the UK. https://acmedsci.ac.uk/more/news/urgent-action-needed-on-failing-child-health
They provide evidence that there have been increases in infant mortality, obesity, tooth decay and mental health problems accompanied by a decline in vaccination rates. This is set against a substantial increase in the number of children living in poverty with reductions in access to services. The report also highlights that the period, up to the age of five is often overlooked in policy and service provision although it has long been known that it is crucial for laying the foundations for lifelong mental and physical health; healthy children are more likely to grow into healthy, productive adults.
This is not new information for organisations such as What About The Children?, the Parent Infant Foundation First 1001 days Movement, and most recently the Royal Foundation. Concern that policy and service provision during Covid lock-downs had a ‘baby blind-spot’ was identified by the Parent Infant Foundation. https://parentinfantfoundation.org.uk/the-baby-blind-spot-first-1001-days-report-shows-babies-needs-overlooked-in-covid-response/ Their research highlighted the importance of factors long recognised to be important in supporting 0-2s: clear and committed leadership; mature and strong local partnerships; and professionals who are connected to each other and to their communities.
The Academy’s report coincides with the What About The Children? campaign, launched in January, https://www.whataboutthechildren.org.uk/our-campaigns which carries very similar messages. What About The Children? has for the past 30 years been highlighting the importance of the earliest years, from pregnancy through to age three in particular, with a focus on children’s emotional needs and the critical role parents can play in ensuring these needs are met. The campaign highlights that relevant services have become depleted, adding to family stress. There is a national shortage of Health Visitors; the number of Midwives is plummeting; access to perinatal mental health services is inconsistent and inadequate and the campaign calls for the reinstatement of the ‘universal health visiting service’ with ring- fenced funding to Local Authorities to ensure Health Visitors can meet statutory requirements, ‘continuity of care’ and ‘over the threshold’ home visits for all under-threes and their families. Childminders are leaving the profession in droves; and huge number of Early Years Education and Childcare settings are closing. This has taken place in the context of Government policy to offer funded child care for children as young as nine months, despite the fact that many experts have agreed that the places will not be available. Early years staff are paid a low wage despite good qualifications and are not perceived as experts in the same way as teachers of older children. The attitudes of society need to change so that their important work is fully recognised, but this requires top-down messages.
Currently, governmental systems and structures do not prioritise the development of children under-three and their emotional needs and interdepartmental collaboration is largely absent. The What About The Children? campaign calls for long term integrated investment in social infrastructure with a clear focus on the emotional wellbeing of children. This should include the appointment of a Cabinet Minister to be accountable for and lead on integrated, inter-departmental policy and provision supporting children under three and their families. In addition, all Local Authorities to appoint a Councillor to lead on an integrated community approach to supporting children under three and their families.
A long-term integrated strategy which supports the emotional wellbeing and needs of children under three, their families and communities, has clear benefits for individual children and will ultimately bring huge benefits to the whole of society. The wellbeing of the youngest members of society and those caring for them will shape the future and policy makers need to take heed.