Connecting up the care

Early neglect and trauma on children can have substantial negative outcomes later on in life.

The London Assembly Health Committee has examined the combination of three Adverse Childhood Experiences which commonly co-occur (domestic violence and abuse, parental mental ill-health and parental alcohol and drug misuse) to assess how access to and support from services could be improved.

Between April 2017 and March 2018 in London:

• 23,097 children experienced domestic violence and abuse.
• 16,394 children experienced parental mental ill-health.
• 14,432 children in London experienced parental alcohol and drug misuse.
• 3,097 children simultaneously experienced all three together.

The Committee has published its short report, ‘Connecting up the care’, calling for the Mayor and the London Health Board to create an action plan. The plan should:

• Assess the effectiveness of information sharing and data collection, which is key for services to function effectively.
• Promote multi-agency working, which is vital for person focused care, as there is unequal access to this for Londoners.
• Adopt a trauma-informed approach that makes people feel safer and more supported by services to improve outcomes.