Child health profiles 2024: statistical commentary
Published 5 March 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/2024-child-health-profiles/child-health-profiles-2024-statisitcal-commentary
What’s new
Indicators in the child and maternal health profiles have been updated with data on child mortality, injuries on the roads, children in care, hospital admissions, accident and emergency attendances, educational attainment, pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, and teenage mothers. Data has been updated for upper-tier local authorities, regions, and England.
Introduction
The child and maternal health profiles on Fingertips provide a snapshot of child health in upper-tier local authority areas. They bring together indicators for local government areas across several different themes.
The profiles are designed to help local decision makers understand the health needs of their community and support work to:
- improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people
- reduce health inequalities
The profiles can also be used to help local decision makers:
- work with local partners to plan and commission evidence-based child health services based on local need
- compare areas with national and regional averages to identify areas for improvement
- compare areas with statistical neighbours to learn from areas with better outcomes
Main findings
All figures below are for England. The changes to these metrics should be considered with all 33 metrics in the child and maternal health profiles.
This update shows:
- child mortality increased from 10.0 per 100,000 children aged under 18 in 2019 to 2021 to 10.4 per 100,000 in 2020 to 2022
- Accident and Emergency attendances (0 to 4 years) increased from 762.6 per 100,00 children in 2021 to 2022 to 797.3 in 2022 to 2023
- several indicators related to children in care worsened. The rate of children in care aged under 18 has increased to 71 per 100,000 children in 2023, compared to 70 in 2022. 168 children per 100,000 children aged 16 to 17 years and 76 children per 100,000 children aged 10 to 15 years were in care in 2023, higher than the overall rate
- the proportion of children in care with up to date immunisations decreased from 85% in 2022 to 82% in 2023
- children in care aged 16 to 17 years in 2023 have the lowest percentage of up to date immunisations (75%), compared 82% for all children in care aged under 18. A higher proportion of girls (83%) than boys (82%) had up to date immunisations
- the Department for Education recommend comparing the latest average attainment 8 score data with the pre-pandemic 2018 to 2019 academic year. The average attainment 8 score for key stage 4 pupils (15 to 16 years of age) decreased from 46.7 in the 2018 to 2019 academic year to 46.2 in the 2022 to 2023 academic year
- several indicators on admissions for a variety of conditions decreased compared to the previous period, however, these changes should be interpreted with caution. In 2023, NHS England announced a methodological change that may reduce the number of admissions reported for these indicators. For further details please check the detailed metadata for these indicators in the child and maternal health profiles
- hospital admissions for asthma (under 19 years) decreased from 131.5 per 100,000 in 2021 to 2022 to 122.2 per 100,000 in 2022 to 2023
- hospital admissions for mental health conditions (under 18 years) decreased from 99.8 in 2021 to 2022 to 80.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 2023
- hospital admissions as a result of self harm (10 to 24 years) decreased from 426.7 per 100,000 in 2021 to 2022 to 319 per 100,000 in 2022 to 2023
- hospital admissions due to substance misuse (15 to 24 years) decreased in the most recent three year period from 71 per 100,000 in 2019 to 2020 to 2021 to 2022 to 58.3 per 100,000 in 2020 to 2021 to 2022 to 2023
- hospital admissions for dental caries decreased in the most recent three year period from 197.5 per 100,000 in 2019 to 2020 to 2021 to 2022 to 176.4 per 100,000 in 2020 to 2021 to 2022 to 2023
Revisions
Following Census 2021 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) carried out reconciliation and rebasing of the mid-year population estimates (MYE). This process happens every 10 years following the census. The official population estimates for mid-2012 to mid-2020 have been revised, to incorporate the update now available from Census 2021. The back series for the child mortality, hospital admissions and overall children in care indicators have been updated with the revised population data.
For enquiries or feedback relating to the child health profiles, email childandmaternalhealth@dhsc.gov.uk.