Betrayal of our children

» Infant mortality soaring under Tories » Number in extreme child poverty trebles » More than 20% of 5-yr-olds are obese

INFANT mortality rates have soared under the Tories, extreme child poverty trebled in three years and progress on child health is stalling, a report reveals.

The scathing document found the infant survival rate is worse than in 60% of similar countries, with widespread inequality set to make the situation worse in years to come.

Rising child poverty is partly to blame for the increase, experts found, while 2021 saw the first rise in perinatal mortality for seven years (the period from pregnancy to one year).

There are four deaths per 1,000 live births in the UK – this is more than double the 1.7 in Japan and 1.8 in Finland, Slovenia and Sweden.

Ministers are facing calls to address an “appalling decline” in children’s health following the Academy of Medical Sciences report. The wideranging study found more than a fifth of five-year-olds are overweight or obese, while demand for mental health services have soared.

It also said one in four children are affected by tooth decay and vaccination rates have plummeted.

Among a string of recommendations is a call to address a fall in child and family care workers in the NHS.

Dr Mike McKean, vice president for health policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “The time for excuses is over – government must act decisively.”

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting added: “Labour will provide mental health support in every school, introduce supervised toothbrushing for three to five-year-olds and ban junk food ads for kids, paid for by abolishing tax breaks for the wealthiest.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “We’ve taken significant action to improve children’s health both now and in the long term.

“This includes dramatically reducing sugar in children’s foods, investing over £600million to improve children’s sport and encouraging healthy diets for lower income households through schemes like Healthy Start.”

The time for excuses is over... the Government must act

DR MIKE MCKEAN CHILD HEALTH EXPERT