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Vision for a 21st Century children's health service

  • Last modified date:
    12 February 2009
Front cover image from Child Health Strategy

The Government today published its long-term vision of a 21st Century children's health service aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of all children, including £340 million to support children with disabilities and their families.

Together with funding previously announced this brings the total investment in services for disabled children over the next three years to a record £770 million. 

The joint strategy, Healthy lives, brighter future: the strategy for children and young people's health - published by Children's Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson - sets out for the first time what children and their families can expect from child health services in their areas from birth through to the age of 19. 

Alongside this additional money for children with disabilities and their families, parents will also see new packages of support for all children and young people, including:

  • Stronger and better joined up support during the crucial early years of life including more health visitors
  • A strengthened role for Sure Start Children's Centres with, for the first time, each Children's Centre having access to a named health visitor
  • Expansion of the Family Nurse Partnerships programme to support first time mothers from 30 to 70 sites by 2011, with a view to rolling it out across England over the next decade
  • The development and testing of a new antenatal programme and preparation for parenthood package for mothers and fathers
  • Free School Meal pilots looking at the health and educational benefits of universal access. 

'Our aim is to provide mothers and fathers with the support that they need to give their children a healthy start in life'- Health Secretary, Alan Johnson

Today's £340 million funding will enable local areas to work together to support children with disabilities and their families and invest in palliative care and end of life services, short breaks, community equipment and wheelchair services through Community Children's Nursing services. 

Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health said:

 ‘The Child Health Strategy will help to ensure that healthcare and children's services work together to help every child to have a healthy and happy start to life.

This funding of £340 million will help to improve the experience of disabled children and their families by providing them with high quality services whilst the expansion of the Family Nurse Partnership programme will help us reach the most disadvantaged families.

Our aim is to provide mothers and fathers with the support that they need to give their children a healthy start in life and to help young people to make healthy choices.  Investing in children's health from the early years through childhood and adolescence will benefit children, families, society and the NHS.’

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families said:

‘We know good health is vital if children and young people are to enjoy their childhood and achieve their full potential. We want to back all parents as they bring up their children, and ensure that every child or young person leads as healthy a possible life.

 Building on 2909 Sure Start Children's Centres, this Child Health Strategy will ensure that parents will know what help and support they can expect to receive for their children, from early years, through schools and right through their teenage years.

We want to make England the best place in the world for our children and young people to grow up. Our flagship Children's Plan set out how, building on over ten years of social reform, we are working even harder to give every child a good and healthy start in life.

 With schools, GP practices, hospitals, Sure Start Children's Centres, the voluntary sector and government all playing their part in helping to establish good habits in childhood, this will provide the basis for lifelong health, happiness and wellbeing for every child in the country.’

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