Picture credit: Rex Features
Children’s services departments should ensure vulnerable children under the age of five have access to high quality childcare outside of the home to help reduce behavioural problems according to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
The briefing note for councils, based on existing NICE guidance, focuses on preventing behavioural and emotional problems in children.
It is part of new guidance documents NICE is publishing for local authorities to help them take on the public health remit. They aim to highlight which are the most cost-effective public health tactics to put in place.
Other recommendations include:
- Primary schools should develop a whole school approach to children’s social and emotional wellbeing and be able to identify and provide specific help for children already showing signs of anxiety, emotional distress or behavioural problems.
- All health and early years professionals should identify factors that may pose a risk to a child’s social and emotional wellbeing such as poor housing conditions, parental mental health problems or substance and alcohol misuse.
- Nursery workers and childminders need to have the procedures and training to make referrals to specialist services, based on an assessment of need.
- All schools should offer support to parents and carers to develop parenting skills such as providing information or offering small, group based programmes run by school nurses or health visitors.
Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE, said: “Supporting the emotional and social wellbeing of children and young people is important not only for the child and those around them, but also the community in which they live. Nearly half of 14 year olds report they are being bullied. Their school work suffers and they achieve poorer results – the equivalent of 2 grades lower at GCSE level. Research shows that aggressive behaviour at the age of eight years is a predictor of criminal and abusive behaviour.
“This briefing aims to help local authorities create a safe environment for children and young people which is emotionally secure and which prevents behavioural problems, including bullying and violence. This means developing their ability to resolve conflicts, solve problems, cope with difficult experiences and reduce risk-taking behaviours.”
