“Children and young people in England have great opportunities but UNICEF’s report highlights the difficulties faced by up to a million children who continue to fare worse than the majority.
“We know from other research that there has been progress in some areas – rates of teen pregnancy and alcohol consumption have decreased – but it is critical struggling families and children get the support they need, particularly in early childhood, before problems take hold.
“That is why I’m backing proposals for an early years indicator to measure disadvantage and why I’m encouraging local authorities to put innovation at the forefront and revolutionise the support provided to the most vulnerable children by applying for a share of the recently announced Government.”
