Other policy
Policy: Healthy Child Programme
26 Mar 2009
The early intervention and prevention public health programme was originally known as “The Child Health Promotion Programme: Pregnancy and the first five years of life.” It was recently re-named as part of the Healthy Lives, Brighter Futures' strategies.
As part of the programme, children's centres are expected to provide a range of services including breastfeeding support, smoking cessation and parenting support programmes. They are central to the Government's strategy to improve health outcomes. The Healthy Child Programme will make full use of children's centre's workforce and services and of their role in promoting children's health and well-being.
Effective implementation of the Healthy Child Programme should lead to strong parent-child attachment and positive parenting, resulting in better social and emotional well-being among children. It is expected that local programmes will provide the following:
- A major emphasis on parenting support, such as supporting mothers and fathers to provide sensitive and attuned parenting, particularly during the first months of life, supporting strong relationships and supporting the transition to parenthood, especially for first-time parents. Also, ensuring that contact with the family routinely involves and supports fathers, including non-resident fathers.
- The application of new information about neurological development and child development. This includes stressing the importance of attachment in the first year of life, introducing a greater focus on pregnancy and recognising the specific impact that parents have on their children.
(Reported by Nursery World)
