The Bill includes measures that aim to put children’s wellbeing at the forefront of the education system and to remove barriers to opportunity. A range of education and care policies are covered in the bill including a requirement for free breakfast provision in all primary schools in England.
According to UCL research more than one in five children are overweight or obese by age five and one in four children have tooth decay.
Elaine Hindal, chief executive of the British Nutrition Foundation, said: “We urgently need action to improve children’s health and ensure that every child can thrive. We welcome this commitment to improving children’s wellbeing and we hope this is the beginning of a journey to tackling health inequalities and providing opportunities for all children.”
The BNF launched National Schools Breakfast Week (9-13th September), to raise awareness of the importance of healthy breakfasts for children and young people.
This follows the publication of a report and recommendations for better breakfast provision in schools. The report found that skipping breakfast is widespread in school-aged children and is higher in teenagers, especially girls, and children from low-income households.
Regularly missing out on breakfast can make it harder for children to get enough of the nutrients they need to be healthy and to learn. The BNF says free school breakfast provision could help reduce hunger and may help to address educational inequalities for the most vulnerable young people.