# data[].attributes.body
Waltham Forest has been classified within the top ten for the highest rate of child poverty of all London boroughs. In 2018, Waltham Forest had a total population of approximately 276,700. Almost 58,000 of these were children between the ages of 0-14, correlating to over 20% of Waltham Forest’s population being under the age of 14. The Child Poverty Strategy reports that 16,000 children in the borough are growing up in poverty.
The main aim of the Child Poverty Strategy is, “To take 3000 children out of poverty by 2011 and to eradicate it by 2020.” It identified five key strategies necessary for the chance of reducing child poverty.

“Reduce the number of children living in workless households”

“Reduce incidence of in-work poverty”

“Getting young people off to the best possible start in their education”

“Reducing housing related poverty”

“Work closely with partners to tackle the causes and effects of child poverty”
It was designed with the ambition in mind to create an environment that is able to provide opportunities for young people within the community in order to grant them with the best possible start in life.
The strategy defined child poverty as “About lives not statistics. It’s about the young mother struggling on a tight family budget or children growing up in bleak and overcrowded accommodation. It’s about the chronic lack of self esteem that accompanies unemployment and low skills. It’s about the fate of our children being dictated by background rather than ability.”
The strategy has already created new services and facilities specifically for children; £300 million has been used for the renewal of public facilities, including 14 children’s centres.
A separate scheme has been introduced that involves children between the ages of 0-5 receiving an age appropriate book every month delivered to them, which hopes to have a benefit on a  child’s education before they’re introduced into the school system. Waltham Forest have also launched a project that provides free breakfast to those in the education system who may require it, hoping to reduce the number of children attending school hungry which can have a dramatic impact on their learning.

GOV.UK. (2019) Child Poverty Strategy 2009-2020. Available from:
https://democracy.walthamforest.gov.uk/documents/s8132/ [Accessed 06 December 2019]

# data[].attributes.body
The Healthy Child Programme service was commissioned  effective  1st September  2016. It incorporate  School  Nursing,  Health  Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership. This service is being delivered in order to improve outcomes for children and their families and reduce inequalities; to lead on and deliver locally the Healthy Child Programme
0-5 and 5-19; and to give Waltham Forest Children the best start in life. The expected outcomes to be delivered by the service are:  Reduction in the number of 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training.  Reducing under 18 conceptions.  Reducing excess weight in 4-5 and 10-11 year olds.  Reducing hospital admissions caused by unintentional and deliberate injuries in children and young people aged 0-14 and 15-24years.  Improving emotional wellbeing of looked-after children.  Reducing smoking prevalence – 15year olds.  Reducing self-harm  Improving Chlamydia diagnosis rates (15-24 year olds)  Improving population vaccination coverage.  Reducing tooth decay in children aged 5.
The  local  Health  Visiting, School  Nursing and Family  Nurse  Partnership take trainees on placement  and student on work  experience  as a way to promote the vocation and to ' grow their own' local workforce. In addition to employment opportunities,  these service will involve with training and support for other partner agencies  at times including  schools  and  nursery settings in areas where they will have  effective  impact of young children.
The  Health Visiting team will be required,  within the service  specification,  to deliver  child health  clinics  across the borough,  aiming to ensure that, in line with child and family centres, the vast majority of the population are within  20 minutes walking distance,  to encourage active transport.  Part of the health promoting role of all aspects of the service is to encourage  physical activity to improve health and reduce  obesity. This will include promoting active transport where possible for the whole family; encourage walking,  cycling and use of public transport over driving.

https://democracy.walthamforest.gov.uk/documents/s51580/RECOMMISSIONING%20THE%20HEALTHY%20CHILD%20PROGRAMME%200-19%20YEARS.pdf

# data[].attributes.body
In 2017 the ‘Life Chances Commission’ was set up improve the lives of the residents living in Waltham Forest. The commission worked by identify activities that would help young people in Waltham Forest have opportunities to thrive during their lives. From this commission the ‘Enabling Young People to Thrive’ report was published after consultation from young people, education providers and the business sector.  It provided the council with 30 recommendations for improving the life chances of children and young people in Waltham Forest. From the 30 recommendations the 8 that had the greatest impact were: •Increased take-up of the early years offers from those who need it most• Pupil premium enrichment card; encouraging schools to invest their pupil premium in cultural activities for the most disadvantaged and ensuring the borough makes most of the Borough of Culture to support disadvantaged young people. • Good quality careers advice; starting at the end of primary school and continuing at regular intervals through secondary school.•Opportunity bank; to promote meaningful local opportunities to support young people access crucial experience to support them access work and further education.• Community mentors; tapping into the boroughs strong social capital by building a programme for a diverse of community mentors to support young people in thinking through their future options.• Gold Standard apprenticeship scheme; to tackle misconceptions and increase local uptake of apprenticeships.• The university challenge; a programme of support to increase the number of young people form Waltham Forest achieving a place at the countries most selective universities.• Leading by example; the Council to become an exemplar of how to support young people to build their lives in the borough and how to actively engage and plan services with young people, local business and education providers.

# data[].attributes.body
Waltham Forest early help works in collaboration with other professionals involving parents and caters to provide early support to needy families.Their desire is to tackle problems at the earliest stage before it can escalate.The early intervention gives the families opportunity to support their children (0-25)to reach their potential . The early help assessment or Our family journey provides the opportunity of working with children and families,listening to their needs.

Help formulate action plan to achieve the right sort of help.

Our family journey make sure that everyone involved with the family such as health visitors,teachers collaborate to provide the support needed.

The family journey provides additional support if family agrees ,questions pertaining the type of help you may need will be asked and information recorded.Children are given the opportunity to discuss their situation with their worker without parent if it is in their best interest.

Based on information action plan is done.

Some needs are met by a number of services .Team Around family is formed.A lead professional is oppointed that will support you by informing you and listening to your views.This professional is also responsible for coordinating services supporting the family.

Information about families will only be shared with consent.

In some circumstances information will be shared if the child /adult is at risk of harm and to prevent serious crimes.
Reference
Directory Walthamforest.gov.uk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Waltham Forest Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2016-2020. Author_ Tessa Northey (2)

# data[].attributes.body
Public Health England published in 2014 its strategy From evidence into action: opportunities to protect and improve the nation’s
health, in which outlined two objectives regarding Child Immunisation as part of public health priority Best start in Life
1) Lead and co-ordinate the Childhood Flu Programme, working with NHS England
2) Increase coverage of measles, mumps and rubella immunisation for all children at five years
Waltham Forest Immunisation Action Plan 2017-2022
Reception Year (children aged 4-5) to be offered flu vaccine in the reception class rather than through GP
School year 4 and 5 also to be offered the vaccination at school
Strategic Objectives:
1. Improve the uptake of immunisations in Waltham Forest
2. Improve the quality of immunisation services
3. Ensure the immunisation workforce and allied professionals have the skills and knowledge to support the immunisation
programme
4. Reduce inequalities in immunisation provision
5. Improve the recording of immunisation data across all providers
Actions
1.Encourage GP practices to directly contact children/adults missing immunisations (call and recall)
2.GP practices to refer to the Health Visitors for children who have missed their vaccination x3. Health visitors to remind the parent
of the vaccine when they see the child optimistically
3.Work with Early Help/Vaccination UK to develop a system where Home Educated Children/Looked after Children, SEND/Autism
and children on traveller sites do not miss out on immunisations
4.Devise means to improving access to vaccination services in primary care and in schools
5.Monitor Whipps Cross delivery of neonatal BCG
6. Monitor NELFT delivery of BCG vaccine to children under 12 months old
7.Work with GP practices to improve flu vaccine uptake
8.Work with practices to generate intelligence about barriers and enablers for pregnant women receiving their vaccination
9.Work with local maternity units to ensure that the pregnant status of women is shared with GP practices.
10.Public health team to ensure that information on immunisations will be part of school entry packs and immunisation status asked
during the school entry health review, using the review as an opportunity to identify those unimmunised, promote immunisations
uptake and signpost to child’s GP or Vaccination UK.
11.Work with HENRY to distribute information on immunisation to parents and carers at the children centre.