Children and maternity

Latest updates

16 March 2010

• Maternity and early years: making a good start to family life

29 October 2009

• The Pregnancy Book (2009 edition)
• Birth to Five (2009 edition)

27 October 2009

The Healthy Child Programme is a high quality early intervention, clinical and prevention public health programme, which begins in pregnancy and extends through childhood into the end of the teenage years. The Healthy Child Programme now contains three core documents:

• Healthy Child Programme: pregnancy and the first five years of life [formerly Child Health Promotion Programme or CHPP]
• Healthy Child Programme: the two year review
• Healthy Child Programme from 5 to 19 years old

Latest issue

• Children, Families and Maternity bulletin

Pregnancy, breastfeeding and swine flu

Women who are breastfeeding should continue while receiving antiviral treatment or prophylaxis as they are not contraindicated in breastfeeding.

• Find out more

Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked after children

This guidance is a revised version of the existing guidance, Promoting the Health of Looked After Children, which was published by the Department of Health in 2002. The revised guidance will be statutory on PCTs and on Strategic Health Authorities as well as local authorities.

• Revised statutory guidance

Government’s response to Lord Laming’s recommendations on protecting children

On Wednesday 6th May, the Government released a detailed response to Lord Laming's report, The protection of children in England: A progress report. The response sets out the specific actions that the Government will take, in partnership with local agencies and key stakeholders, to address each of Lord Laming’s recommendations

• View the Government's response (opens new window)

Preventing accidents in the home

The Every Child Matters website has downloadable booklets for parents on how to prevent accidents in the home.

• Preventing child accidents in the home - on the Every Child Matters website (opens new window)

Health strategy for children and young people

The Government's child health strategy was produced jointly by the Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families.

• Healthy lives, brighter futures - The strategy for children and young people's health
• Healthy Lives, Brighter Futures: The strategy for children and young people's health: Disabled children and Safeguarding for All (opens new window)

European Working Time Directive and paediatric services

Joint statement by the Department of Health, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Skills for Health on the measures necessary to put into practice the European Working Time Directive.

• Download Joint statement by DH, RCPCH, Skills for Health (PDF, 26K)