The Early Intervention Foundation report examined the evidence for the early childhood support offered to families through the Healthy Child Programme for under fives, which was introduced in 2009.
The review found that while many of the interventions in the programme are backed by evidence, there is no proof that a number of commonplace interventions make any difference to parents or children.
Interventions found to lack evidence include infant massages, efforts to prevent the onset of mental health issues during pregnancy, and book gifting.
Training to help parents deal with child behaviour problems that are offered during pregnancy or the child's first year of life were also found to be ineffectual.
The report also said there was a distinct shortage of evidence about the effectiveness of interventions designed to deter expectant mothers from using drugs and alcohol during pregnancy.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
