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| Measures to boost child learning | Measures to boost child learning |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A package of measures to boost child health and learning in the early years is to be unveiled by ministers. | A package of measures to boost child health and learning in the early years is to be unveiled by ministers. |
| The Child Health Strategy is expected to promise a boost in health visitor numbers as well as expanding a free school meals pilot across England. | |
| A programme of intensive one-to-one work with new parents will also be extended to tackle health inequalities. | A programme of intensive one-to-one work with new parents will also be extended to tackle health inequalities. |
| Campaigners said the focus was welcome, but large investment was essential if the measures were to have any impact. | Campaigners said the focus was welcome, but large investment was essential if the measures were to have any impact. |
| The Department of Health, which has produced the strategy in partnership with the Department for Children, School and Families, promised the funding would be "substantial" when it was announced later. | The Department of Health, which has produced the strategy in partnership with the Department for Children, School and Families, promised the funding would be "substantial" when it was announced later. |
| We welcome the focus on the issues, but front-line services really do need large investment Sally Russell Netmums There have been concerns about how ambitious the plans would be after publication was delayed several times last year. | We welcome the focus on the issues, but front-line services really do need large investment Sally Russell Netmums There have been concerns about how ambitious the plans would be after publication was delayed several times last year. |
| The idea for the strategy came out of the Children's Plan which was published at the end of 2007. | The idea for the strategy came out of the Children's Plan which was published at the end of 2007. |
| The view within government was that there was not enough partnership work between education and health services. | The view within government was that there was not enough partnership work between education and health services. |
| To rectify that, the new strategy will promise that each Sure Start centre will get a named health visitor in a bid to bring NHS services more into what is a predominantly educational and welfare service. | To rectify that, the new strategy will promise that each Sure Start centre will get a named health visitor in a bid to bring NHS services more into what is a predominantly educational and welfare service. |
| The Department of Health is also expected to announce an extension of the family nurse partnerships pilot, which involves a specialist nurse meeting regularly with vulnerable new parents until the child is two. | The Department of Health is also expected to announce an extension of the family nurse partnerships pilot, which involves a specialist nurse meeting regularly with vulnerable new parents until the child is two. |
| There are currently 30 pilots in operation, but the number is to be increased to 70 by 2011, covering nearly half the country in the process. | There are currently 30 pilots in operation, but the number is to be increased to 70 by 2011, covering nearly half the country in the process. |
| The model is based on a system developed in the US that has shown it results in better health outcomes, improves family stability and aids the child's educational development. | The model is based on a system developed in the US that has shown it results in better health outcomes, improves family stability and aids the child's educational development. |
| Money available to disabled children and their families is also expected to be boosted to help pay for more equipment, improve end of life care and provide respite help for parents. | Money available to disabled children and their families is also expected to be boosted to help pay for more equipment, improve end of life care and provide respite help for parents. |
| Sally Russell, director of the Netmums campaign group, said: "We welcome the focus on the issues, but front-line services really do need large investment. | Sally Russell, director of the Netmums campaign group, said: "We welcome the focus on the issues, but front-line services really do need large investment. |
| "They have been cut in recent years and parents, currently, are not getting enough support. | "They have been cut in recent years and parents, currently, are not getting enough support. |
| "We will be looking for a large increase in health visitors in particular." | "We will be looking for a large increase in health visitors in particular." |
| Meals | Meals |
| A pilot of free school meals for primary school children in two areas - a third is to tweak the current means-testing threshold to ensure more pupils qualify - has already been announced. | A pilot of free school meals for primary school children in two areas - a third is to tweak the current means-testing threshold to ensure more pupils qualify - has already been announced. |
| But the strategy is expected to expand that pilot to see whether it would be worth rolling out such a scheme across England. | But the strategy is expected to expand that pilot to see whether it would be worth rolling out such a scheme across England. |
| Free schools meals for all infant children - those aged five to seven - are already due to be implemented in Scotland in 2010. | Free schools meals for all infant children - those aged five to seven - are already due to be implemented in Scotland in 2010. |
| Hull City Council also provided free school meals for several years, before a recent change in political control brought it to an end. | Hull City Council also provided free school meals for several years, before a recent change in political control brought it to an end. |
| Tim Nichols, of the Child Poverty Action Group, said he was pleased by the move on free school meals, but said he would have preferred it to be introduced across the board. | Tim Nichols, of the Child Poverty Action Group, said he was pleased by the move on free school meals, but said he would have preferred it to be introduced across the board. |
| "It makes a difference both to health, and concentration and learning," he said. | "It makes a difference both to health, and concentration and learning," he said. |
| "The quality of food has improved in recent years and the evidence is there from Scotland and Hull to go ahead with this without piloting it." | "The quality of food has improved in recent years and the evidence is there from Scotland and Hull to go ahead with this without piloting it." |