Watch and listen here Today Dr Lisa Cameron MP served notice on Secretary of State Matt Hancock that a nation
Category: APPG on a Fit and Healthy Childhood – Documents and Links
Short articles, news updates and opinion pieces relating to a Fit & Healthy Childhood. Contact Helen West if you would like to contribute.
11/09/20 – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families writes to all MPs in England
Comprehensive description of Govt. support for vulnerable children and families set out in a letter from Minister Vicky Ford MP.
A Strategy for Children’s Mental Health – Helen Clark writes
On 21st July 2020, Dr Lisa Cameron MP tabled the following Question: ‘To ask the Secretary of State for Education,
Covid-19 and Children’s Food: Parents’ Priorities for Building Back Better – Beth Bradshaw of Food Active Writes
A new briefing published by Food Active and the Children’s Food Campaign shows overwhelming support for the Government extending free school
Over half of parents say their greatest worry since the pandemic is their child’s mental health
The Child Mental Health Charter Campaign has called upon the Government to prioritise children’s mental health on their return to
Children Returning to School are already Showing Anxiety Disorders
Children back at school are showing clear symptoms of distress. Yet the Government has failed to address the effects of
Two New Reports from the APPG – A Wake-Up Call for our Food Systems
APPG’s NEW REPORTS MUST BE A WAKE-UP CALL FOR OUR FOOD SYSTEMS. Today we published our latest reports as the
Children’s Society Predicts Crisis as Schools Open – Helen Clark Writes
The Children’s Society and Labour Opposition Leader Sir Keir Starmer MP have predicted a severe service crisis as children return
Minister commits to publish White Paper to ‘pave the way’ for a reform of the original 1983 Mental Health Act.
BUT WHEN? AND WHERE IS THE MENTION OF CHILDREN? The Child Mental Health Charter Campaign is grateful to Labour MP
‘Times’ agrees with us: ‘Early programming in the womb predisposes a developing baby to obesity later in life’ – Helen Clark writes
On 28th July, ‘The Times’ resident health expert, Dr Mark Porter warned: ‘Saying ‘Get on a bike’ will not solve
Rome wasn’t built in a day but this is a good foundation! – Baroness Floella Benjamin responds to the new obesity strategy
Baroness Benjamin, Vice-Chair of the APPG, has welcomed the Government’s new Obesity Strategy, renews the call for a Cabinet-level Minister
DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE ANNOUNCE FUND TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19
Through their Royal Foundation, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enabled £1.8 million to support key workers and those with
Forthcoming Obesity Strategy – Helen Clark says It’s “Glass Half Full”
The APPG’s Lead Author, Helen Clark, has welcomed ‘noises off’ about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s forthcoming Obesity Strategy; predicted for
A Record 80% surge in calls to National Domestic Abuse Helpline spells danger for children – Helen Clark Writes
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline has received an 80% surge in calls for help in June amidst warnings of a
Impact of summer camp cancellation on children’s mental health
The latest threat to children’s mental health and wellbeing is the mass cancellation of summer camps according to worried parents
Services will be ‘deluged’ by mental health referrals when school doors open in September, experts predict
Teachers and health service providers have predicted a huge crisis in children’s mental health needs when schools re-open in September
Teachers fear a rise in hunger in children returning to school in September – Magic Breakfast Survey
Magic Breakfast is a charity that provides school breakfasts to vulnerable children. They conducted a survey which assessed teacher’s views
IS PRIME MINISTER JOHNSON TEARING UP PROMISE TO REFORM THE 1989 MENTAL HEALTH ACT? Helen Clark Asks . . .
Campaigners desperate for a new Mental Health Act during the course of this Parliament may have their hopes dashed after
Child Suicides May Have Increased During Lockdown
CHILD SUICIDES MAY HAVE INCREASED DURING LOCKDOWN New research from the National Child Mortality Database suggests that child suicides may
A New Working Group Report: WELLBEING AND NURTURE: PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SECURITY IN CHILDHOOD
We are proud to announce today’s publication of our latest report: “WELLBEING AND NURTURE: PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SECURITY IN CHILDHOOD”,
10/08/20 – WILL THERE BE EXTRA RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS THAT WILL NEED CHILD MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES POST-LOCKDOWN? – BARONESS MASSEY ASKS IN THE LORDS
Read the full debate here. My Lords, some children who have been out of school for such a long time
Helen Clark Writes in Nursery Management Today – Let a Fairer Deal for Children be a Legacy of COVID-19
Our Lead Author, Helen Clark, has an article in the latest issue of Nursery Management Today, in which she writes:
The Impact of COVID-19 on Children’s Mental Health – Reply from the Secretary of State for Education to Dr Lisa Cameron MP
You may remember back in May that Dr Lisa Cameron and 65 fellow MPs wrote to Gavin Williamson about the
The Effect of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Children’s mental Health and a New Early Day Motion – helen Clark Writes
In the December 2019 Queen’s Speech, Boris Johnson announced his intention to reform the 30-year-old 1989 Mental Health Act during
New Campaign Pressing for Summer Holiday Food Provision to be Made Permanent
The Children First Alliance was delighted when, following the boost given by the intervention of Marcus Rashford and the appearance
Dr Aric Sigman on the Effects of Parental Drinking on their children’s future drinking behaviour
The British Medical Journal (BMJ) asked Dr Aric Sigman to summarise his response to a May article about Covid-19 and
Dr Eunice Lumsden, Head of Early Years at the University of Northampton, calls for a new reality in Early Childhood, Education and Care
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing
25/06/20 – The Early Years is the Forgotten Sector, Writes Shannon Pite of the Early Years Alliance
The Forgotten Sector report Early years membership organisation the Early Years Alliance has published a new report, The Forgotten Sector, which
23/06/20 – Playgrounds to Re-Open at Last – Helen Clark Writes
Helen Clark, APPG Lead Author, has welcomed the announcement today that Prime Minster Boris Johnson is releasing the nation’s children
22/06/20 – risks for children relative to Covid-19 – Robin Sutcliffe of the Children’s Play Policy Forum Writes
At this crucial stage in the Covid-19 lockdown there has been a lack of clarity on the statistics relating to
16/06/20 -Victory in the #SchoolmEALS4summer campaign – Phil Royal Writes
A fantastic victory has been achieved with Government forced to continue school meal vouchers through the summer holidays! Many organisations
12/06/20 – Summer Holiday Food Provision – Join In the online “march”
You have no doubt seen and heard a lot of mention in the news and online about summer holiday food
12/06/20 – An Open Call from Sport England for Innovative Ideas
Sport England’s research shows major inequalities within society, with too many of us not able to access activity in the same
10/06/20 – A New Organisation for Primary Physical Education has been Launched – Dr Victoria Randall of the University of Winchester Writes
Primary Physical Education has become a growing area of political, societal and professional interest over recent years, with the important
07/06/20 – The First 1001 Days Movement Calls for a Cabinet Minister for Children
This week is Infant Mental Health Awareness Week. Leaders of nearly 80 organisations, under the banner of the First 1001
04/06/20 – When Can Children Play Out Again? The API Writes to the PM
As we learn the lessons from COVID-19, I hope that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will kick-start his new-found zeal to
28/05/20 – Dr Aric Sigman writes about the effects of parents’ drinking on children
This is an edited version of Dr Aric Sigman’s response to an article in the British Medical Journal. In their
21/05/20 – Update on the Letter to Gavin Williamson from Dr Lisa Cameron MP – Helen clark Writes
As we mentioned on Monday, Dr Lisa Cameron MP has sent a letter signed by 65 MPs and Peers to
18/05/20 – Mental Health Awareness Week : but new survey shows one in four children and young people with mental health problems can’t get help – Helen Clark Writes
This is Mental Heath Awareness Week and this year’s theme is ‘Be Kind.’ But the words are bound to feel
16/05/20 – Royal College of Psychiatrists say that COVID-19 effect will see mental health services ‘overwhelmed’ without urgent financial investment – HELEN CLARK WRITES
The Royal College of Psychiatrists have said that with inadequate current resources and no guarantee of future urgent financial investment
15/05/20 – Prime Minister announces new ‘interventionist’ approach to tackle obesity – Helen clark writes
Following his own serious brush with COVID-19, the Prime Minister is said to have demanded a new serious approach to
14/05/20 – When can our children go out to play? Ask the Government to set the date!
Today, APPG member organisation the Association of Play Industries (API) issued a statement following our response yesterday to their original
13/05/20 – Experts in ‘The Lancet’ call for a public health approach to manage domestic violence in the wake of COVID-19 – Helen Clark Writes
An article in ‘The Lancet’ argues that measures adopted by the UK and other countries in response to the COVID-19
13/05/20 – Play again ignored by the Government in its ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown – Helen Clark Writes
As commentators, experts and members of the public pore over the Government’s eagerly awaited ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown – play,
12/05/20 – summer Holiday Hunger – Paul Wright of Children First writes
How can we make a difference while in this Pandemic ‘holding pattern’? We can hit a like button on social