National child health strategies
England
Children are a priority
'Choosing Health: making healthy choices easier'
This white paper identified the public health needs of children and young people as a priority area for action. It recognised that people's patterns of behaviour are set early in life and influence their health throughout their lives. Infancy, childhood and young adulthood are critical stages in the development of habits that will affect people's health in later years. It highlighted action on physical activity, diets and smoking, both in schools and in the community.
See: "Choosing Health white paper"
See: "National Service Framework" National Service Framework for children, young people and maternity services.
'Every Child Matters: Change for Children'
'Every Child Matters: Change for Children' is a programme to improve health and quality of life for all children and young people, and to close the gap in outcomes between the disadvantaged and their peers. It takes forward the Government's vision of reform for children, young people and families.
See: "Every Child Matters"
Public Service Agreement targets
What is a Public Service Agreement?
Each government department makes public service agreements with HM Treasury that set out how their financial settlement will be spent and the outcome targets they expect to reach. The targets of direct relevance to children's health and the prevention of chronic disease are:
Obesity
Tackle the underlying determinants of ill-health and health inequalities by:
- Halting the year-on-year rise in obesity among children under 11 years old by 2010 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole. (Joint target with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
School sports
Further enhance access to culture and sport for children and give them the opportunity to develop their talents to the full and to enjoy the full benefits of participation.
- Enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by 5 to 16 year olds so that the percentage of school children in England who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum increases from 25% in 2002 to 75% by 2006 and to 85% by 2008, and to at least 75% in each School Sport Partnership by 2008. (This is a joint DfES / DCMS target).
Scotland
Health for all children 4: guidance on implementation in Scotland (2005) provides a framework for connecting the range of different policies and spheres of activity that support children and young people's health and development. It sets out a clear core programme of child health contacts in Scotland.
For further information visit: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/37432/0011167.pdf
Northern Ireland
NI Executive: consultation on creating a vision of all our children
The Children and Young People's Unit in Northern Ireland has developed a ten-year children's strategy. Among the strands are a short framework paper, 'Creating a vision for all our children', that invited responses to issues affecting children in Northern Ireland. A formal consultation took place in March 2003.
For further information visit: http://www.allchildrenni.gov.uk/
National Heart Forum initiatives
The young@heart initiative
The National Heart Forum has published a framework of recommendations that forms a blueprint for national plans for children's and young people's health and well-being in the UK. young@heart offers a comprehensive set of actions at local, regional and national levels.
The framework was published in 2001 and has informed both the 'National Service Framework for children, young people and maternity services' and the 'Choosing Health' White Paper.
See: "Towards a generation free from CHD: Policy action for children's and young people's health and well-being"
Child health policy statement
The National Heart Forum has developed a statement on child health policy, based on the young@heart initiative.
See: Child health policy statement
A lifecourse approach to heart disease prevention
young@heart was supported by a review of the scientific and policy evidence for action to protect and promote the health and well-being of children and young people, published in a National Heart Forum report in 2003.
See: 'A lifecourse approach to coronary heart disease prevention. Scientific and policy review'.
The National Heart Forum is grateful to the member organisations and funding bodies that supported young@heart including the British Heart Foundation, the Health Development Agency - now the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Nuffield Trust.
Other useful links
See National Children's Bureau
See www.childrenscommissioner.org