The primary health team is ideally placed for its major role in the Child Health Promotion Programme (CHPP). In the first year of life a baby will be seen on average nine times, the GP is likely to have looked after the mother during her antenatal care and known her before she became pregnant. There are opportunities to foster child health promotion during antenatal checks, paediatric surveillance and immunisations but opportunistic health promotion is just as important. When a child attends surgery for a minor illness always ask yourself if this child is developing normally, had their immunisations and if there are any areas of concern.
The aim of the CHPP is that all children reach their maximum physical, mental and emotional potential. Prevention and early identification of potential problems, with effective intervention, underpins the programme. There is a strong connection between disadvantage and a poor outcome for children. It is therefore important to identify and focus on vulnerable families (e.g. those with low income, unemployment, poor housing, single parents, physical or mental illness, drug or alcohol misuse, domestic violence and safeguarding issues). These aims are delivered by:
- Antenatal care. This provides an opportunity to explore the individual needs of the parents, give them support and spot any problems or risk factors early. It is a time when parents are receptive to education and parenting programmes.
- Prevention of illness (e.g. immunisations).
- Education e.g. accident prevention (the most common cause of death in children aged 1–14 years), obesity, behavioural management and dental health.
- Early detection of disability and illness in screening programmes and paediatric surveillance.
To achieve these goals the CHPP offers a universal core programme. This includes core screening, the surveillance programme, immunisation and advice. After the initial assessment there are:
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