We are working with a number of organisations to deliver improved support for young children and their families.
Giving young children and their parents the support they need
Early intervention
A new GLA report on the Economic Case for Early Years Intervention to Address Health Inequalities in London demonstrates how early years interventions provide high returns on investment for individuals and society. The report helps to build a business case for appropriate investment in public health, prevention and early years intervention as set out in the Mayor’s Health Inequalities Strategy.
Early Years Interventions to address Health Inequalities in London – the Economic Case PDF
Read the background and download all versions of the Early Interventions report
The GLA made the following response to the review of early intervention, led by Graham Allen MP in October 2010. It includes early findings of GLA work on the economic case for investment in relation to early years, a priority strand of the Mayor's renewed agenda on children and young people and Health Inequalities Strategy.
GLA Evidence Submission to the Independent Review on Early Intervention Delivery PDF
Tackling child poverty
London has the highest rate of child poverty in the UK, after housing costs are taken into account – currently 39 per cent. Child poverty today can mean lower skills and aspirations, poorer health and unemployment for future generations in London. Tackling poverty also brings wider social benefits, by making work pay, improving the quality of life for families and promoting children's life chances.
In 2006-2010, we supported the London Child Poverty Commission, in partnership with London Councils, to research the causes and find solutions to this issue. The Commission published a Legacy Report in March 2010 setting out its recommendations for action and a monitoring update showing all the latest figures and trends in July 2010. Both are available on the London Child Poverty Commission's website along with all the Commission’s reports.
Visit the London Child Poverty Commission website
The GLA made the following submission to the independent review of poverty and life chances, led by Frank Field MP, in September 2010. It sets out the actions for getting parents into work at a living wage and to focus on early interventions to improve children’s life chances. The paper includes action being taken by the Mayor to tackle child poverty in London.
GLA Submission to the Independent Review of Poverty and Life Chances PDF
Health inequality and parenting programmes
The Mayor’s Health Inequalities Strategy (April 2010) seeks to promote improvements in the physical and emotional health of children, such as a more robust school nursing service. We will work with London partners to promote continued investment in targeting support to the most disadvantaged children and families. This includes pre and postnatal health services and early years education.
We will also take forward work to identify high-quality parenting programmes that both meet the needs of London’s parents and have an impact on a wide range of inequalities in children’s early years, education and health outcomes.
Find out more about tackling health inequalities
Providing more affordable childcare
The Mayor continues to play a key role in supporting affordable childcare to enable London’s parents to enter and retain employment, through London Development Agency (LDA) investment.
The first phase of the Childcare Affordability Programme in 2005 to 2009 provided childcare assistance to more than 9,000 families to enable them stay in sustainable employment during 2005-09. In the second phase, investment of £7.8 million on further pilots until the end of 2011/12 will enable up to 1400 parents over two years to enter and sustain employment.
The LDA has also invested in the country's first purpose built intergenerational centre in Merton, with a range of shared services and facilities under one roof for older people, children and young Londoners. An update on childcare activity at the LDA/GLA is now available.
Read the Childcare Update
Improving opportunities for play and recreation
We are committed to working with boroughs and other partners to ensure that all children have safe access to good quality, well-designed, secure and stimulating play and informal recreation provision.
>Boris Johnson Time for ActionThere is more child poverty in London than anywhere else in Britain. But the real poverty is spiritual, emotional and intellectual.
