Reports - Childrens Alliance

About our reports

Achieving policy change at a senior government level to promote the health and wellbeing of children in their early years is core to our purpose. Our alliance members have worked together to provide four factual reports highlighting the importance of addressing the areas of mental health, physical activity and the environment for children and young people. Following these reports, we have been commissioned to write several Eye View Reports. Below you will find links to our reports as they’re published and listed in chronological order.

Eye View Series Reports

Following the launch of our first four reports, we’ve been commissioned to write several Eye View Reports.

Eye view Series Reports are authoritative ‘single issue’ studies designed for everyone to learn from and understand – from politicians to professionals, locally and nationally – and of course, parents and carers.

Each report is sponsored by organisations and companies with an interest in the policy field and want to contribute to the campaign. There are three Eye View Series reports so far:

A PRECONCEPTION CARE STRATEGY: sponsored by the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre
A PLAN FOR PLAY: sponsored by Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL)
THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN EARLY YEARS EDUCATION: sponsored by Babbu

If you would like to sponsor an Eye View Series report, please contact the Children’s Alliance.

The Power Of Play: Building A Creative Britain

Ask an adult what the word ‘play’ conjures up for them, and they may share memories of time spent in nature, on the street – playing out, fashioning a daisy chain or a bow and arrow. It may also mean moments of less stress, building a rocket and flying to the very furthest edges of imagination. Play may also have been an urgently needed escape for some who had challenging experiences during childhood. Play in childhood undoubtedly resonates through the ages and as such, it provides a lifelong, multi-generational and community-enhancing opportunity for all.

Read Full Report

A Plan For Play: An Eye View Series Report

There is a simple, inexpensive and joyful way to address many of the major challenges facing society and its children; addressing the alarming mental health crisis and obesity epidemic and helping to prepare children for an ever-changing work force.

Founder and Director of OPAL, Michael Follett commended the Report to the Government adding:

‘UK primary schools are wasting play times, staff time and school grounds valuable development opportunities by failing to have a plan for play.

‘Our work in over 1,000 primary schools has demonstrated that a planned approach to play is highly effective at improving outcomes for children and is inclusive, fun and low cost. I cannot understand why any school would fail to plan for 20% of their delivery.’

The report was sponsored by Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL https://outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk) a Not-For-Profit organisation that has proved in over 1,000 UK primary schools that the behavioural, academic, health and parental involvement benefits have far outweighed the relatively small ‘start-up’ costs of developing ‘plans for play.’

Read the full report here.

The Role of the Family in Early Years Education

Sue Atkins, an internationally recognised parenting expert, author and broadcaster, offers practical guidance on enabling children’s happiness, confidence and resilience from early to teenage years. Families play a critical role in the early years of a child’s life; a time when they are experiencing rapid growth and development in all areas including physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.

Founder and Director of OPAL, Michael Follett commended the Report to the Government adding:

‘UK primary schools are wasting play times, staff time and school grounds valuable development opportunities by failing to have a plan for play.

This Report was sponsored by online learning platform Babbu (https://www.babbu.co.uk) developed during the pandemic with the help of early years specialists, parents and clinical psychologists from origins as a ‘pay-as-you-go (PAYG) nursery.

Read the full report here.

Preconception Care Strategy Report

Parental preconception health and the first 1,000 days of a child’s antenatal and postnatal life are main determinants of one’s later health, wellbeing and social opportunities.

A new Preconception Care Strategy jointly created by Children’s Alliance together with health professionals and academics at several UK universities, including Southampton, is aiming to improve life chances for children.

Or click here to just read the report.

The Early Years Report

“Giving children the best start in life is by far the most effective way to address health inequalities in the long term.” This is the tenet of Children’s Alliance and the focus on the new report titled The Health & Wellbeing of Children in the Early Years.

This report is the culmination of work from many sectors and considers where we are now as a society, as well as setting a roadmap for improving outcomes for children in the future.

The Physical Health Report

‘The Physical Health of Children and Young People’ shows that some groups of children and young people begin life hampered by disadvantage due to their family grouping, geographical, cultural or socioeconomic circumstances. This report outlines a series of proposals to address the concerns that without effective co-ordinated measures led by Government, the next generation of UK adults will be the least healthy in living memory.

The Mental Health Report

With NHS data showing a 90% increase on 2020 figures in the number of children referred for urgent mental health treatment (2,260 in June 2021 alone), The Mental Health of Children and Young People makes several proposals to ensure that we are delivering for our children and young people.

The Family and Community Report

The Family and Community Report discusses the changing nature of the UK’s communities and the likely outcomes for future society. The report challenges the myth that “the old ways are the best” and calls upon government, institutions, and individuals to champion a connected and inclusive future.