Action For Sick Children Signs Joint Charity Protest Letter

STOCKPORT, U.K. - Jan. 29, 2014 - PRLog -- Action for Sick Children chairman Pamela Barnes MBE was one of the 23 children’s charity signatories to a hard-hitting letter to The Times urging all political parties to present a coherent view of what they would do to make the UK the best country in the world to begin life.

“The letter was written as a means of highlighting the fact that Government policies to support children and young people have been relatively piecemeal,” explained the long serving charity chief speaking from her home in Disley, Cheshire.

“The letter pointed out that for the last 20 years, the main focus of health and social care policy for successive Governments had been on meeting the needs of the ageing population via free TV licenses, bus passes, winter fuel allowances and pension increases.

“Meanwhile the UK has one of the worst child mortality rates in Western Europe with up to 2,000 excess deaths a year; the number of children who are obese or have mental health problems is growing; and the current economic challenges particularly impact young people.

“Of course the letter acknowledges positive moves such as the Chief Medical Officer’s report on child health, ongoing Government support of the Children and Young People’s Health Outcomes Forum and support for young people not in education or training.

“However, as the saying goes: ‘When you get it right for children and young people, you’re also getting it right for tomorrow’s adults.”

Mrs Barnes added that the letter’s  stark message was a prediction that for the first time since the Victorian age, living standards for children will be worse that for their parents.

Arguing for the benefits of early intervention, the authors of the letter were keen to stress it’s not about children and young people versus the elderly.  Instead the plea is for ‘equal focus to be given to the younger generation.’

For further information click onto:www.actionforsickchildren.org

ENDS