Labour’s child health action plan. What do you think?

[Naptrappedmummy]

https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/labours-child-health-action-plan-will-create-the-healthiest-generation-of-children-ever/

It looks good to me (and just to disclose I will, in a ‘there’s nobody better right now’ way, be voting Labour at the next GE) but this is mumsnet so just wondered what you all thought…

Bump

And where are they going to get all these staff from?

I think it addresses the right points. Have Tories done similar?

How much is abolishing the non dom status going to take in?

Even just one of those pledges EG free breakfast clubs is going to cost a fortune!

Looks good to me in principle. And I agree all of this needs addressing.

HOWEVER, big question mark around how they are going to pay for it. The non dom thing again, it keeps on giving.

https://www.simmons-simmons.com/en/publications/clnd4mpa40030u6x41s3foli0/carried-interest-and-private-equity-funds
Taxes on private equity fund managers sounds complicated.
Taxes on private schools as well. Sounds even more complicated.

But they said VAT on school fees was going to pay for 6,500 new teachers (and all the new schools they will need for all the private school kids moving back to state) 🤣🤣

https://www.taxpolicy.org.uk/2023/06/07/privateschools/

This article and the comments are quite good, on that private school issue. Basically we have no idea how much tax revenue would be generated.

The tooth rushing proposal is ridiculous. It takes time out of the school day for something which should be done at home. If it’s not being done, that’s neglect and you’re not going to fix neglectful parents by brushing teeth at home - they need to fix the root cause.

Tooth brushing aside a lot of the ideas are on the right lines for what is needed. But it’s one of those where I will believe it when I see it and if it’s not properly funded then it’s pointless.

I think he suggested it happen at breakfast club so not taking time out of the school day. Also intended for 3 to 5 year olds - I used to do this with full time school nursery children 30 odd years ago. It's not that new.

Isn't the tooth brushing only for 3-5 year olds who are in breakfast clubs?

I've worked in a reception class where there was tooth brushing and it was a total waste of time as they aren't actually getting their teeth brushed by an adult. They are just putting it in their mouths and wiggling it.

Not sure how old you are and where in the country you were educated but plenty of people in their late 40s and older educated in inner city areas remember their primary school being involved in their dental hygiene.

In my case it was a mixture of my teachers giving me lessons before I was 8, then dental check ups in school until I was 10.

My DD is was taught dental hygiene by her childminder and nursery separately. They both gave her a toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as sending her home with a leaflet about toothbrushing to me. In her primary school, like it has been for the last few years, they are very prescriptive on snacks and packed lunches. In fact as we are in London they discourage children from bringing in packed lunches.

I've heard already in some deprived areas they already get TAs to do tooth brushing with children.

I think there would be some benefit in introducing toothpaste into their mouths and moving the brush around although not ideal. Some of the children I did this with had probably never seen a toothbrush before.

It looks good to me. The obvious missing thing is to make the streets safe around schools and in residential areas so that children can walk and cycle to school and play outside, that will do wonders for both mental and physical health.

Not sure digitising the red book will make any real difference

I don't really understand how funding works. Seems to me they can always find money for their pet projects. What happened to a 32 million a week we saved by not being in the EU?

The problem with labour is that they never explain how they are going to pay for all their big plans ! You see it on question time, the labour candidate can never really answer the question except to say that making changes to the non dom tax situation will pay for everything ! I don't really have much confidence in them but am traditionally a labour voter.

That’s a good point, I am sure when ds was younger it was recommended that until at least 6 parents did the brushing!

Creating a national framework that ensures focus and innovation across government, business, public services, and civil society is targeted towards delivering this long-term goal

What does this even mean? I keep reading it and am none the wiser, it just seems like a collection of chipper words.

Make a framework (?) to focus and innovate on everything...towards the long term goal of...what?

I think its good and they do say how they are going to pay for it.

I'm glad about the toothbrushing because I heard about the breakfast clubs on the radio this morning and for the first time wondered - how are they going to clean their teeth?
as pp have said if this is part of the breakfast club, then its fine. I think I was advised they should have someone help them until they can write their own name.
They may not do a great job just being supervised but its a whole lot better than nothing and the toothpaste in contact with the teeth will have a protective effect.

When did you last ask the Tories how they were going to fund anything?

When did the Tories ever explain how they would pay for anything?

I no longer believe this line of thinking after the tories laughed about labours pledges as a magic money tree at last election and then turned around and gave dup billions to form a coalition and millions to their cronies during covid.

Lots of labour's ideas are meant to save the country money too as well as improving the lives of less well off children. Win win in my eyes.

I teach in greater London in a deprived Borough and have multiple children every year have teeth pulled out and rotten teeth. So sad as they are only 5-7 years old.

They are still spending their non dom money - it’s the gravy train that never ends!

Regarding tooth decay, they should also add fluoride to tap water.

https://theconversation.com/england-and-wales-are-adding-fluoride-to-water-but-what-effect-will-it-have-168702

My children still obsessively wash their hands as taught in school during Covid. So I think it does work doing it at school. Just make sure it is not the teachers problem again, but outside dentists.