The UK has been accused of employing “inadequate” provision for child rights protection after it fell dramatically in global rankings for child rights within a year, from 11th to 156th. According to the 2017 KidsRights Index it now ranks among the bottom 10 global performers in the arena of improving rights of the child, after it achieved the lowest-possible score across all six available indicators in the domain of Child Rights Environment (CRE). In UNICEF’s Report Card 13 ‘Fairness for Children’, the UK had the largest difference among all the countries studied in the levels of healthy eating (consumption of fruit and vegetables) between children from low and high socio-economic status. This was accompanied by one of the largest gaps in the levels of physical activity. Inequality in education was also flagged up, with the UK being ranked 25th out of the 37 countries – behind Slovenia, Poland and Romania.
Flourishing is our Birthright
Children in the modern world are being exposed to a set of environmental pressures that are unique in human history – and this seems to be having a profoundly negative impact on their health and wellbeing.
Flourishing is our birthright – young children are citizens with biological and developmental rights and every child deserves to be provided with an environment that nurtures his or her unique skills, capacities and potential.
The Early Years is the single most important period of our lifespan – our early environments and experiences profoundly influence brain development and the conditions and later mindsets necessary for healthy physical, mental and emotional growth.
The Early Years starts at conception – the health and wellbeing of mothers is essential for the healthy development of the child. Stressed-out and unhappy mothers can create negative epigenetic markers that predispose their children to weaker developmental outcomes.
Relational wellbeing lies at the core of human thriving – we are social beings and the love, affection and consistency of our early caregivers is essential for our development.
Those seeking to reduce deficits and strengthen the economy should make significant investment in early childhood and relational wellbeing - child abuse and neglect is the single most costly cause of mental illness, the single most common cause of drug and alcohol abuse, and a significant contributor to leading causes of death such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and suicide.
Childhood is increasingly being medicalised – children as young as three are now regularly being prescribed medication to manage their behaviour
Early Years Policymaking should be based upon the new Science of Human Learning and Development – given what we now know it is inexcusable for any government to implement policies that ignore global evidence, are potentially damaging to human flourishing and threaten the health, wealth and sustainability of their populations
We need to protect and nurture the spirit of the child – children are naturally curious, playful, joyful and full of love. We need to ensure that adult-led systems recognise the whole child by nurturing the spirit, inspiring the mind and engaging the heart.
Flourishing is our birthright – young children are citizens with biological and developmental rights and every child deserves to be provided with an environment that nurtures his or her unique skills, capacities and potential.
The Early Years is the single most important period of our lifespan – our early environments and experiences profoundly influence brain development and the conditions and later mindsets necessary for healthy physical, mental and emotional growth.
The Early Years starts at conception – the health and wellbeing of mothers is essential for the healthy development of the child. Stressed-out and unhappy mothers can create negative epigenetic markers that predispose their children to weaker developmental outcomes.
Relational wellbeing lies at the core of human thriving – we are social beings and the love, affection and consistency of our early caregivers is essential for our development.
Those seeking to reduce deficits and strengthen the economy should make significant investment in early childhood and relational wellbeing - child abuse and neglect is the single most costly cause of mental illness, the single most common cause of drug and alcohol abuse, and a significant contributor to leading causes of death such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and suicide.
Childhood is increasingly being medicalised – children as young as three are now regularly being prescribed medication to manage their behaviour
Early Years Policymaking should be based upon the new Science of Human Learning and Development – given what we now know it is inexcusable for any government to implement policies that ignore global evidence, are potentially damaging to human flourishing and threaten the health, wealth and sustainability of their populations
We need to protect and nurture the spirit of the child – children are naturally curious, playful, joyful and full of love. We need to ensure that adult-led systems recognise the whole child by nurturing the spirit, inspiring the mind and engaging the heart.
Child Health and Wellbeing in the UK
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Save the Children, 2017
MoreLife, 2017
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