Simply by growing up in a certain part of England a child under five is more likely to have poor health that will impact the rest of their lives
The first five years of a child's life are critical to their future development. Poor Beginnings: Health Inequalities among young children across England, published by the National Children's Bureau, is based on official data published by Public Health England. It looks at four key measures of young children's health and well-being - obesity, tooth decay, accidental injury and 'school readiness'. The report provides a clear picture of the health of children under five years old living in England and shows how growing up in different areas of the country has a dramatic effect on their lives, and can have an impact on the likelihood of experiencing a poor health outcome before starting school.
Thousands of children are affected by obesity, tooth decay and accidental injury and do not develop well before starting school. However, a child's chances of experiencing one of these poor outcomes depends a great deal on where they grow up.
The area summaries document allows you to explore in more depth the stories of deprived areas where young children's health and development is as good as, or better than, the national average.