To critically appraise and synthesis the current evidence related to Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) in the children and young people's healthcare setting.. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Our work on prevention is a vital part of our advocacy with policy makers and politicians. In this article Max Davie writes about our response to the green paper on prevention, and why focusing on the early years is so important for children and young people.
Access to better housing, healthcare and employment opportunities are at the core of a new multi-million pound settlement to improve the life chances of vulnerable young people leaving care.
The report makes recommendations to address and reduce childhood obesity. These aim to change behaviours and norms, building on existing commitments, and range from extending the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to sweetened milk-based drinks to improving air quality and safety in our built environment in order to create opportunities for children to be active and healthy.
Open access. Although breastfeeding is touted as providing many health benefits to infants, some aspects of this relationship remain poorly understood.
Open access. From birth, children living in disadvantaged socioeconomic circumstances (SECs) suffer from worse health than their more advantaged peers. The pathways through which SECs influence children’s health are complex and inter-related, but in general are driven by differences in the distribution of power and resources that determine the economic, material and psychosocial conditions in which children grow up. A better understanding of why children from more disadvantaged backgrounds have worse health and how interventions work, for whom and in what contexts, will help to reduce these unfair differences. Macro-level change is also required, including the reduction of child poverty through improved social security systems and employment opportunities, and continued investment in high-quality and accessible services (eg, childcare, key workers, children’s centres and healthy school environments). Child health professionals can play a crucial role by being mindful of the social determinants of health in their daily practice, and through advocating for more equitable and child-focussed resource allocation.
Open access. The sudden and unexpected death of an infant or child is devastating. An inability to explain why an infant or child died is difficult to accept for both families and professionals. No reliable national dataset exists to estimate precisely how many infants and children die unexpectedly each year in England. This lack of accurate epidemiological data belies the scale of this public health problem. Detailed controlled observational studies of infant deaths identifying risk factors and providing evidence-based advice for parents has seen a dramatic reduction in incidence over the last 30 years by almost 80% but greater knowledge is needed if future deaths of infants and older children are to be prevented and families optimally supported. We propose that a national registry of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood would accurately determine incidence, identify unknown risk factors and highlight good care practices, ensuring these can be standardised nationally. For such a project to be successful, however, parents must be at the heart of it. We held a consultation day between families, professionals and supporting charities (The Lullaby Trust, Child Bereavement UK, SUDC UK and CRY) to seek opinion on the desire for a registry and how best to ensure families are engaged. Here, we summarise our rationale for a registry and the feedback we received from attendees regarding their views of the proposal and the practical aspects of administering it.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has launched a report Occupational therapy: Unlocking the potential of children and young people which outlines the role that occupational therapists play in improving the lives of children and young people with physical, learning and mental health needs.
This House of Commons Library briefing paper considers what help is available for grandparents and other family and friends carers (also known as kinship carers) looking after children where their parents are not in a position to do so.
The RCPCH welcomes the CMO's updated physical activity guidelines and says "the key to longevity and success is embedding healthy habits into life early and making them part of a routine".
We have responded to the publication by Public Health England (PHE) of its second year report on progress by the food industry to reduce sugar in ‘everyday’ foods.
Families will get ideas on how to use everyday opportunities, like going to the shops and playing make-believe games, as part of a relentless society-wide effort to improve the early literacy and language skills in the years before children start school.
The action plan:
outlines a range of new measures to strengthen the role of sport within a young person’s daily routine
explains how teachers and parents can play their part
promotes a joined-up approach to physical activity and mental wellbeing
The action plan will be of interest to schools, teachers, parents and the sport sector.
The measure forms part of a range of recommendations made by RCPCH as part of our ambitious “Prevention Vision”. The amount of free sugar in baby food should be reduced and the Government should place a “moratorium” on public health funding cuts, according to bold recommendations outlined today by leading child health experts.
Evidence shows that children and young people who are more active have more confidence, higher self-esteem, less anxiety and stress and better social skills – attributes that can help them deal with the challenges they face in daily life. Positive attitudes towards physical activity have also been associated with children being happier.