Better support for Black children with special educational needs
Our children's mental health programme has heard repeatedly from families and healthcare professionals about the ways racism impacts both the mental health of children and the likelihood of them getting safe, compassionate support.
Black children remain over-represented for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), but are the least likely to receive adequate support for their additional needs.
In 2022, we commissioned Global Black Maternal Health to lead a research project to better understand the experiences of Black and mixed heritage children and families when a child has SEND.
This research provides clear recommendations for policy makers to improve families’ experiences of navigating the support system for children with SEND and highlights the strength and leadership of Black parents who have spent years advocating for their children.
Telling a new story about children’s health and food
We have created a free image library to help build a better, more constructive understanding of children’s health and to show how what surrounds us shapes us.
These new images help show the variety of factors that shape children’s health; such as the affordability and accessibility of nutritious food, and the powerful marketing tactics that put unhealthy food centre stage.
We invite those talking about children’s health and food to use these images in their work to help inspire action to make healthy food affordable and accessible for every child.
This pattern of ill health and personal finance concerns is difficult to break, especially for people already living on low incomes from Black and other ethnically minoritised communities.
We recently began a new partnership with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) that explores how better debt advice can improve the health of people struggling with the cost of living.
We want to better understand the value of community-based debt advice services to the health of the individual, the community, and wider society. This is to help inform what types of services will be commissioned by MaPS or funded by us in the future.
Using data to shape a society based on social justice
Being a part of a strong community is one of the building blocks of a healthy life.
Local Councillors represent all residents in their ward on decisions impacting every aspect of our lives, however, we know very little about whether those elected to represent us actually reflect the diversity of the communities they represent.
Migrant Democracy Project is conducting the most comprehensive survey on London Councillors to identify who is under-represented in decision-making.
Their aim is to ensure that every resident, no matter where they are from, has equal access to democratic participation in the UK.
Partnerships are an essential part of how we work. Here are three pieces from this month from others who are working to improve urban health:
🍎 Asylum seekers in London face challenges accessing food but there is scope for local action. Join Sustain's free webinar on 12th March which will focus on key areas where national policy change is necessary and highlight guidance and recommendations for councils. Sign up >
🌙 Want to explore what you can do as a leader to support staff who work at night? Join The Liminal Space on World Sleep Day, Friday 15th March, for a free webinar to understand the significant challenges faced by the forgotten shift. Sign up >
🍴 The Food Foundation recently released a video showing that a food system that nourishes and supports our society is possible, and urges policymakers for action. Watch the video now >
