Inequality gap widens for health of under-fives

Giving Children a Healthy Start found that while there are fewer deaths in infancy and obesity rates are slowing overall, gaps between the health of children in disadvantaged areas and those in better-off places have grown.

Steve Bundred, chief executive of the Audit Commission, said: "The under-fives rarely seem a priority locally. Overall, the findings are disappointing."

He added: "Despite progress, our infant mortality rate remains higher than countries such as the Netherlands, France, the Republic of Ireland and Spain. Even before they are born, for many, place and parents’ income determine their quality of life and their lifespan."

The report found that some parents from vulnerable groups are not using Sure Start children’s centres because they are unaware of the service, or say they dislike the "judgmental nature of health professionals".

Neil Leitch, director of the Pre-School Learning Alliance's Feeding Young Imaginations nutrition campaign, said: "We applaud the government's continued investment in and commitment to Sure Start, as it chimes closely with our own principles of helping children to succeed, building learning communities and creating the childcare that families need.  However, if it is to truly deliver on its promise to achieve positive health and wellbeing outcomes for all children and families, it needs to be accessible and targeted for the families who need it most, and accompanied by fuller investment in health initiatives specifically for the under-fives."

The Audit Commission is calling for a single set of local priorities agreed by those responsible for driving improvements in children’s health, supported by a clear statement of government policy.

The report also recommends that government and local organisations with responsibility for children’s services should monitor the impact of the economic downturn on children’s services.