Healthy start for kids

12th December 2008, 10:30am

Projects aimed at improving children's health by providing targeted health-related services at school were unveiled this week as the first Equally Well implementation plan was published, reported the Scottish Government.

The first children's health and wellbeing support pilot gets underway in South Ayrshire in January, followed by others in Moray, West Lothian and Clackmannanshire.

Public health minister Shona Robison also announced the roll out of Keep Well checks - which aim to identify people at risk of heart disease, diabetes or strokes - to more parts of Scotland.

Ms Robison said: "An early start is the best start when it comes to building a healthy lifestyle and tackling the health inequalities which can blight too many lives. The health and wellbeing support pilots will help many more youngsters get a healthy start in life.

Chief medical officer Harry Burns said: "Equally Well is an innovative strategy which I believe can make a real difference. The challenge for all of us now is to turn the strategy into action on the ground. The implementation plan outlines how this will happen and is an important step forward in this process."

Dorothy Gair, development officer for the children's health and wellbeing support project, said: "The school health and wellbeing support pilots are designed to provide additional healthcare support in schools, alongside school nurses.

"Adopting a multi-disciplinary approach - using, for instance, dieticians and speech therapists - we can ensure that all children are getting the help they need for a healthy start in life."

Related Articles:

• 15 May 2009 - Promoting healthy living for kids
• 27 Apr 2009 - Glasgow school launches healthy lifestyle challenge
• 04 Mar 2009 - Extra funding for Scotland's food industry

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