The continued impact of the pandemic followed by the cost-of-living crisis and growing levels of child poverty has impacted children’s health outcomes.
Food is vitally important for young people, supporting their growth, health and wellbeing. Despite this, 1 in 5 young people in the UK are in families that have struggled to access or pay for food.
Too many young people find it difficult to get the food they need in the places they live; almost 1 in 4 (23%) of the 42,000 young people who shared their views in recent research we conducted with VotesforSchools said they were unable to access healthy food in their community.
Investment in a family hub in every community is a significant ask at a time when funding is in short supply, and while the government’s recent spending review recognized the importance of these services it did not pledge any additional funds for their development. However, by investing strategically in effective early intervention and prevention, we believe the government can achieve better outcomes for children.
Barnardo’s believes that all children arriving in the UK deserve a warm welcome, including having both their physical and emotional needs met. Children need to be believed, respected and treated with dignity. This helps them rebuild their
lives and establish new homes, friendships and communities.
This briefing provides information in support of a potential amendment to prevent the criminalisation of parents and prevent the separation of families, who enter the UK through irregular means or via small boat.
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill offers an opportunity to significantly improve opportunities for children in England, with measures to protect children at risk of abuse, to improve care for those who cannot live with their birth families, and to help children grow up healthier.
Over the last 12 months, the NHS Young Researchers have been working in consultation with the New Hospitals Programme to understand how the design of New Hospitals could be improved so they are better suited to the needs of children and young adults.
