The Child Health Equity Framework was developed as part of the Children and Young People’s Health Equity Collaborative (CHEC),a partnership between the UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE), Barnardo’s and three Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) - Birmingham and Solihull, Cheshire and Merseyside, and South Yorkshire - which ran from 2023 until 2025.
Action on the social determinants of health is essential in improving health outcomes among children and young people and reducing inequalities in health. The social determinants of health are generally not sufficiently addressed in policies, services and interventions that aim to support better health among children and young people. This framework has been developed with direct input from children and young people local to the three ICSs.
The framework’s main purpose is to underpin action for achieving greater equity in children and young people’s health and wellbeing, encouraging other ICSs to take action on the social determinants.
Updated 21 November 2025