4Children calls for national rollout of local health partnerships

The recommendation is one of seven made in a report on the Make Space For Health pilot project, published today.

The pilot project, which has been run in Leeds, Essex and York, aims to improve the health of 11- to 16-year-olds, delivering services from youth services and professionals in youth centres.

The report calls on government to recognise the campaign's success and invest in a new programme at a national level.

Besides local partnerships, it also calls for:

• Young people's health to be made a central national priority
• Youth worker training to be rolled out and enhanced advice to be provided on mental health, drugs and alcohol
• More support for families including lifestyle sessions for teenagers and parents.
• Young people's health to be a key part of the new 21st century schools approach
• More early intervention services where needed - including named wellbeing advisers
• A new comprehensive framework bringing together and tackling health support for all young people

Dr Miriam Stoppard, chair of the campaign's advisory group, said: "This crucial and timely campaign has highlighted the huge difference that engaging young people in creative ways can make in delivering positive health messages.

"It is now a personal mission of mine to ensure that government listens to these findings and gives the young people's health agenda the commitment and energy it deserves."