Early Years Healthy Development Review Launch with Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP

Early Years Healthy Development Review Launch with Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP

The Centre for Social Justice was delighted to host the launch event of the Government’s Early Years Healthy Development Review, which was Chaired by Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP. The review sets out a vision for best practice across the health system to ensure babies and children can get the best possible start.

Leading child health experts agree the care given during the 1,001 critical days has more influence on a child’s future than at any other time in their life, and experiences during this time have a significant impact on the health, wellbeing and opportunity of children throughout life. However, children living in households in the lowest socio-economic groups have significantly worse health outcomes than other children. These can be caused by stress and smoking in pregnancy, as well as communication problems due to language inequalities.

As part of the government’s determination to level up across the country, it’s crucial to ensure the youngest members of society – and the families who nurture and care for them – are given the help and support they need to ensure they can fulfil their potential in future. To achieve this, the review highlights 6 action areas which are key to improving health outcomes in babies and young children:

1. Seamless support for families
2. A welcoming hub for families
3. The information families need when they need it
4. An empowered Start for Life workforce
5. Continually improving the Start for Life offer
6. Leadership for change

Speakers

Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, Chair

Member of Parliament

Dr Cheryll Adams

Executive Director, Institute of Health Visiting

Prof. Jane Barlow

Professor of Evidence Based Intervention and Policy Evaluation, University of Oxford

Prof. Viv Bennett

Chief Nurse, Public Health England & Government Advisor on Public Health Nursing and Midwifery

Miriam Cates MP

Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge

Prof. Peter Fonagy

Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Science, UCL & Chief Executive of the Anna Freud Centre

Dr Alain Gregoire

Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist & Founder and Honorary President, Maternal Mental Health Alliance

Anne Longfield

Former Children’s Commissioner for England

Cristina Odone

Head of CSJ’s Family Policy Unit

Tim Loughton MP

Member of Parliament for East Worthing and Shoreham

Prof. Eunice Lumsden

Head of Early Years, University of Northampton

Lord Russell of Liverpool

Member of the House of Lords