Best start in life
During the period from conception to age two, babies are especially vulnerable to their environment. What happens in pregnancy and early childhood impacts on physical and emotional health through to adulthood. Supporting good maternal health is important for safe delivery, good birth weight and gives babies the best start in life.
The foundations of the brain are built during the first 1001 days. Emotional health, physical wellbeing, social skills, cognitive and verbal abilities develop during this time and form the foundation of an individual’s health and wellbeing in childhood and later life: HM Government, 2021.
The South Gloucestershire Children and Young People’s Needs Assessment 2023 (SGC, 2023) (CYP NA) covers topics in health, wellbeing and education. It brings together data, evidence, and local insight to help identify the issues that children and young people face and where the greatest inequalities lie. It also gives recommendations so we can support children and young people and their families.
Data dashboard
An in-depth dashboard on this topic area is in development.
Headline data can be found on the Our population page.
Resources
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID): Fingertips public health data – Child and Maternal Health profile.
- HM Government 2021: The Best Start in Life – A vision for the 1001 critical days.
- NHS, 2019: The Long Term Plan, 2019.
- Public Health England, 2020: Vulnerability in childhood – a public health informed approach.
- South Gloucestershire Council, 2023: Children and Young People’s Needs Assessment 2023
- South Gloucestershire Council 2019: Early Help strategy for Children, Young People and Families 2019 to 2024
- South Gloucestershire Council 2016: Children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing strategy 2016 to 2021
- Public Health England, Wider Impacts of COVID-19: Health needs assessment intelligence pack for local health partners, Children and Young People
- Public Health England: Healthy Pregnancy Pathway.
- Children’s Commissioner, The Big Ask: Big answers, 2021
- South Gloucestershire Council: Financial security