Traumatised toddlers face a future of illness and crime

The Mayor has committed to giving Londoners the best, healthiest start to life. The Healthy Early Years London (HEYL) programme is his main way to achieve this. It is an awards scheme for childcare settings, such as nurseries, crèches and childminders.

However, it only kicks in when children are two years old so it misses the most crucial years of child development.

Following an investigation into children’s first years and health, the London Assembly Health Committee has published its recommendations including:

• The Mayor should sign London up to the 70/30 campaign that aims to bring about a 70% reduction in child maltreatment by the year 2030

• An annual monitoring report for the Mayor’s new Healthy Early Years programme should be published including a breakdown of how each London borough is doing

• The Mayor should set up a Healthy Early Years champion network to provide support to early years professionals

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is the term given to traumatic situations children live through such as physical or emotional abuse; sexual abuse; living around domestic violence; or engaging in substance misuse and not being raised by both parents.

There are ten ACEs: physical or emotional abuse; physical or emotional neglect; sexual abuse; living around domestic violence or engaging in substance misuse; a parent living with mental illness; and not being raised by both parents, either through separation or incarceration.

In recent years, more children centres have closed in London than in any other region in the country, some 261 since 2010.