A report said that children's centres were not receiving the regular data on births and arrivals that was needed to ensure that families received the support they needed. It said that the failure of local authorities and health services to provide this information routinely meant that many vulnerable families might be left unaware of available services. It also meant that children's centres found it more difficult to meet Ofsted expectations (thus affecting their inspection ratings). The report called on the government to clarify a legal duty for local authorities and health services to share data with children's centres.

Source: Kadra Abdinasir and Lucy Capron, The Right Start: How to support early intervention through initial contact with families, Children s Society

Links: Report | Childrens Society press release

Date: 2014-Jul

A consultation was launched to examine opportunities for health inequalities to be addressed at the local level through the work of local authorities. The consultation would inform evidence reviews on behalf of Public Health England and would close on 21 February 2014.

Source: Overview of Consultation: Implementing the Marmot Review locally, Institute of Health Equity (University College, London)

Links: Consultation document | Associated paper

Date: 2014-Feb

A report examined how public health approaches had adapted in the first nine months since the transfer of responsibility to local authorities in April 2013. It discussed a range of approaches across case study areas, noting key challenges arising from restricted budgets and a disproportional impact of the recession.

Source: Public Health Transformation Nine Months On: Bedding in and reaching out, Local Government Association

Links: Report

Date: 2014-Feb