Plans for integrated health and early years reviews announced

The government has announced new plans to introduce integrated health and early-years reviews for two to two-and-a-half-year-olds from next year.

Currently, health and early-years reviews of young children are carried out separately, but Public Health England believes that integrating them will give parents a more complete picture of their child's health.

The Department for Education recently published a report, led by the National Children's Bureau, on a two-year pilot of integrated reviews from 2012 to 2013. Parents generally preferred this joined-up approach and take-up of the reviews increased as a result.

Age two is considered a key development milestone, where problems such as speech delay and behavioural issues emerge. Integrating assessments will help avoid duplication and make it easier to give parents the support they need.

Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said: "This report shows that integrating health and early years reviews is better for children and their parents – giving a more complete picture of their child's development and supporting children to the best start in life."

The National Children's Bureau is now publishing documents to help local areas prepare for implementation of the integrated review process by September 2015.