Backbench Business Debate: Children’s Health

Summary
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, with evidence of deteriorating outcomes:

• 25% of all five-year-olds experience tooth decay and dental extractions, and preventable tooth decay remain a top reason for hospital admissions of children.
• The number of NHS admissions for malnutrition amongst 0–17-year-olds increased by 76% between 2007 and 2022.
• The number of children with type 2 diabetes has risen by more than 50% since 2017.
• One in five children aged 8-16 and almost one in four young people aged 17-19 have a probable mental health disorder, with many more struggling with their wellbeing

Barnardo’s welcomes recent announcements which have the potential to improve child health outcomes. They include:

• The extension of free school meals to all children on Universal Credit.
• The role out of mental health support teams to all schools in England.
• The announcement of £500m to establish Best Start Family Hubs in all local authorities.
• The development of a neighbourhood health service and partnership working between health, community and education in the recently published NHS 10-year plan.

While these initiatives will help the government towards its ambition to ensure the healthiest generation of children ever, the key to long term realisation of that ambition must be on ensuring effective delivery.