Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of working directly with the WAVE Trust 70/30 campaign.

The 1,001 critical days from conception to the age of two set the foundations for an individual’s cognitive, emotional and physical development. That is why the Government is investing around £300 million to improve support for babies, children and families through the joint Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Education Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme.

The safeguarding of children and young people is also an important part of the National Health Service’s role. This is why we have also published and disseminated a working definition of trauma-informed practice for the health and care sector. In England, at the local authority level, the police, integrated care board and local authority are under a statutory duty to make arrangements to work together, and with other partners locally, to safeguard children in their area.

Officials in the Department of Health and Social Care would be happy to meet with the WAVE Trust to discuss our joint commitment to giving every baby the best start in life.