NSPCC welcomes focus on early years in Chief Medical Officer’s report

NSPCC welcomes focus on early years in Chief Medical Officer’s report

Commenting on the Chief Medical Officer’s annual report, which has been published today, an NSPCC Cymru / Wales spokesman said:

“Putting a spotlight on a child’s first 1,000 days is absolutely crucial and we welcome the Chief Medical’s Officer’s priorities for children.

“He is right to highlight the role of parenting. It’s important that mums and dads receive appropriate support to develop a warm, responsive parenting style that ensures strong bonds with their child.

“Intervening as early as possible when things go wrong must also be a priority for all agencies and we are pleased to see an emphasis on adverse childhood experiences.

“In particular – families need additional support when there is domestic violence or substance misuse in the family environment or a parent suffers mental health difficulties.

“These issues can often have a devastating impact on a child’s future life and training must be provided to ensure frontline workers can act at the earliest opportunity when children are exposed to violence or abuse.”