Healthy Lives Brighter Futures

Following the death of 17-month-old "Baby P" in Haringey, north London, Lord Laming was commissioned by the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to report urgently on the progress being made across the country to implement effective arrangements for safeguarding children. Much progress has been made since the green paper "Every child matters: change for children" (Cm. 5860, 2003, ISBN 9780101586023), the Children Act 2004 (ISBN 9780105431046) and "Working together to safeguard children" (2006, ISBN 9780112711872), but in March 2008 37,000 children were the subjects of care orders and 29,000 children were the subject of child protection plans. 55 children were killed by their parents or by someone known to them in 2007-08. Lord Laming proposes immediate action on six tasks: (1) the setting of explicit strategic priorities for the protection of children and young persons for each of the key frontline services; (2) establishing a powerful National Safeguarding Delivery Unit to bring coherence and drive to implement change in departments and agencies whose work is to protect children; (3) addressing the inadequacy of the training and supply of frontline social workers: without the necessary specialist knowledge and skills, social workers must not be allowed to practise in child protection; (4) health service workers must engage more, and more confidently, with child protection work; (5) resources devoted to police child protection teams and their training must be increased; (6) shortening of the time taken in court processes relating to the care of children. A total of 58 recommendations are made in the areas of: leadership and accountability; support for children; interagency working; children's workforce; improvement and challenge; organisation and finance; legal matters.

This Healthy Start For Your Baby guide provides you and your spouse with informative and practical tips to nurture the health and well-being of your baby. It is designed for easy reading and use. Sections are categorised according to your baby’s age.

The Healthy Start For Your Growing Kid is a guide that covers essential health information and practical tips needed to raise a healthy and happy preschooler. Parent-child activity ideas are included to make it easy for your child to understand the key messages of each health topic.

With childhood obesity hitting alarmingly high levels and given high profile in the media today, this book looks at what schools could and should be doing to tackle the problem. Research has shown there is a link between weight, lifestyle and attainment. This book will identify ideas and strategies for all primary schools to help educate children and parents about obesity. The book aims to help teachers introduce good eating habits, help children and parents understand the importance of healthy balanced meals, examine how physical activity contributes to weight loss and its maintenance, as well as providing teachers with a list of useful contacts for outside professional support.

On 12 March 2009, Lord Laming published the findings of his inquiry into progress in improving child protection practice in England: 'The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report'. This action plan sets out the British Government's response to Lord Laming's recommendations, describing how and when each recommendation will be addressed.

This document provides background information on the lives of children in Canada and the changing social environment that is affecting them. It discusses the eight goals that relate to Canada's children: children's rights, their healthy growth and development, the status of women and girls in society, the role of the family, the plight of children in difficult circumstances, education, and the environment. It looks at how Canada's programs of aid to developing countries address those eight goals and the two others set by the Summit leaders: protecting children in conflict zones and reducing world poverty. Finally it outlines the actions Canada has taken since the World Summit and those it will take in the future to achieve the Summit's goals.