A damning new report has revealed that the health and wellbeing of children in England has been in steady decline for the past 15 years, with young people facing some of the worst outcomes in Europe.
The comprehensive study, published by the Institute of Health Equity (IHE) and the children's charity Barnardo's, issues a stark warning that the nation is failing its youth. It highlights a severe and widening gap in health outcomes linked directly to family wealth and ethnic background.
A Deepening Crisis of Inequality
In his foreword to the report, leading health expert Professor Sir Michael Marmot did not mince words, stating: "England is failing its children." He emphasised that the social gradient in child health is both steep and becoming worse.
The report details how too many children are growing up in cold, overcrowded homes, breathing polluted air, and experiencing food insecurity. These conditions, known as the social determinants of health, are fundamental to a child's development and have lifelong consequences for their health and opportunities.
Local Initiatives Offer a Glimmer of Hope
The report was launched by the Children and Young People's Health Equity Collaborative (CHEC)—a coalition including the IHE, Barnardo's, and three local health bodies. Its purpose is to demonstrate how the healthcare system can proactively improve the social factors affecting children's health.
While the overall picture is bleak, the report points to successful local projects where the NHS has partnered with charities. These include:
- A scheme in Cheshire and Merseyside that supports parental bonding and school readiness.
- An after-school club in Rotherham that has successfully boosted children's emotional wellbeing.
A Call for National Leadership
The findings are accompanied by a new framework designed to help local health systems take action across sectors like housing and education. Rukshana Kapasi, director of health at Barnardo's, stated that the charity sees children full of potential being held back by poverty and unsafe housing every day.
"We simply don't think that's fair," Kapasi said. "Our report shows that change is possible. Now we need national leadership to scale that change, so that every child has the opportunity to thrive." The report was officially launched at an event focused on child health at The King's Fund.
