Ministers have earmarked an extra £55m for the Flying Start scheme over three years, which will include free part-time child care in poor areas. It came as the Children's Commissioner for Wales warned of the impact of UK-wide budget cuts.

Keith Towler said he feared more families would be pushed into poverty. The Flying Start funding is intended to meet one of Labour's top five pledges at May's assembly election.

The government is also changing the way the money is handed out, using data on benefits instead of a system for ranking deprived communities. Officials say the new method will make it less likely that families will lose out if they live in small pockets of poverty within comparatively well-off areas.

Ministers want to increase the number of children under four years old who are in the programme from 18,000 to 36,000. The childcare, delivered through local councils, is available for children between their second and fourth birthdays.

'Tough times' Deputy children's minister Gwenda Thomas said: "These are tough times for families and we must prioritise the needs of the poorest and protect the most vulnerable. "This is why we have made the commitment to double the number of children benefiting from Flying Start. It is one of our top five pledges for a fairer future."
 
Spread over three years, the £55m will be on top of annual funding of £39m a year.  Following research it conducted with Daycare Trust, the charity Save the Children recently warned the soaring cost of child care was pushing the poorest out of work in Wales. Daycare Trust chairman Anand Shukla said spending money on children's early years had been shown to deliver high returns by preventing problems later in life.

Providing high quality care with qualified staff helped tackle child poverty by allowing parents the time to work, he said. "You need affordable child care for families to be able to go out to work," he said. "The fact that at a time of economic difficulty the Welsh government has expanded funding in this area is very much to be welcomed."

It came as the Children's Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler told BBC Wales that the Welsh and UK governments need to refocus their efforts on tackling child poverty. He joined the children's commissioners of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland in warning that changes to benefits could push more families into poverty.

Mr Towler said: "Whilst there are developments to be proud of, we continue to see some of our society's most vulnerable being denied a childhood."He said at the heart of their concerns were the high levels of "persistent poverty" across the UK. "We fully acknowledge the considerable challenges facing governments on all levels and that tough decisions have to be made," said Mr Towler.

"But we are deeply concerned that, without assessing the impact of the severe cuts we've seen at all levels of government, we're in real danger of pushing more families into poverty."

The UK government says its benefits changes should cut child poverty and that the best way to do this is through parents working and its policy would "make sure work pays". A rising number of Welsh children are classed as being in poverty because they live in homes with an income less than 60% of the median. The proportion of poor children fell between 1997 and 2003 to 28%, but has since risen to 33%. This compares to 30% for the UK.

A separate report, published on Monday, warns that thousands of children in Wales are being denied rights, enshrined in international law, because of the high levels of poverty.

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China’s emerging baby boom, driven by more-relaxed government policies and the year of the dragon, is fertile ground for both domestic and overseas companies.

The world’s second-largest economy will experience a population boom from 2005 to 2020 and the country’s birth rate will peak in 2016, the National Bureau of Statistics predicts. The Chinese population is expected to reach 1.388 billion by 2020 from 1.334 billion in 2009, according to the United Nations.
Many families are also likely to want their children born in 2012, the year of the dragon. Five percent more babies are born in a dragon year because the icon of China’s emperors symbolizes power and wealth, said Cheung Tak Hong, who runs the obstetrics and gynecology department at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong.

“The baby boom is a good investment idea in the near term,” said Jessie Guo, Jefferies Group Inc.’s Hong Kong-based head for consumer research in Asia. “The growth is likely to sustain for the next two to three years.”

The boom is expected to increase sales of formula companies such as Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial (600887) Group Co., diaper maker Hengan International Group Co. and Prince Frog International Holdings Ltd., a maker of toiletries for children.

Sure Thing
Investors who sold Chinese dairy companies after tainted formula killed at least six infants three years ago are buying again.

Yili dropped 67 percent in 2008 in Shanghai trading after it was identified among 22 companies that sold products containing melamine. The stock of China’s top publicly traded baby formula maker has jumped more than fivefold since then, and 21 out of 22 analysts tracked by Bloomberg who cover the stock predict it will continue to rise. The Shanghai Composite Index has gained 33 percent since the end of 2008.
“The dragon year baby boom is almost a sure thing, which will boost the demand for infant products such as baby formula, diapers and clothes,” said Michele Mak, a consumer-sector analyst at BNP Paribas.
China introduced a one-child policy in 1979 to curb population growth and drive prosperity. Now, facing an aging labor force, the government has eased restrictions by allowing couples who are both only children to have two kids of their own. In addition, rural couples whose first child is a girl over four years old are allowed a second child.

Disposable Income
As incomes rise, Chinese parents have more money to spend on their children. Per-capita disposable income for households in towns and cities rose 8 percent to 19,109 yuan last year, almost doubling from 2005.

China’s baby-food market will grow about 22 percent to more than 68 billion yuan ($11 billion) in 2011 and will almost double to 136 billion yuan by 2015, researcher Euromonitor International estimates. Baby food and pediatric supplement maker Biostime International Holdings Ltd. (1112) has gained 1.3% percent in Hong Kong trading this year.

The baby boom is also likely to “provide a good boost in sales” for Prince Frog and for children’s clothing retailer Boshiwa International Holding Ltd. (1698), said Ray Sze, director at Tianda Securities. “The companies are cheap right now.” Prince Frog is trading at 8.2 times expected earnings and Boshiwa is at a multiple of 9.1 Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) is at 10 times expected earnings. Boshiwa expects sales orders to rise 40 percent to 50 percent in 2012 on rising birth rates and a robust economy, it said last month.

As more children are born, diaper maker Hengan is also “well positioned to monetize on the baby boom,” said Dawei Feng, a Hong Kong-based analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets. Diaper sales will grow from 24.3 billion yuan in 2011 to 28.4 billion yuan in 2012, Euromonitor estimates.

‘Less Trustworthy’
Still, Chinese makers of formula and other baby products face tough competition because consumers continue to view local brands “as less trustworthy,” said James Roy, a consultant at China Market Research Group. “For those who can afford, they will definitely go for imported foreign brands.”Overseas companies dominate in sectors such as baby food. For infant formula, overseas manufacturers including Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. (MJN) and Danone (BN) have the highest market share, according to data from Euromonitor.

Mead Johnson had the biggest market share for infant formula in China last year with 11.7 percent, followed by France’s Danone at 9.8 percent, the data show. Closely held Hangzhou Beingmate Group Co. had 9.2 percent and Yili 7.9 percent.
‘Guarantee of Safety’

Glenview, Illinois-based Mead Johnson’s sales network covers 250 cities across China, with 50 added this year and a further 50 to be added in 2012, according to the company’s website. Chief Executive Officer Stephen Golsby, in an October earnings call, cited the growing number of children born into middle-class families in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, which the company entered almost 20 years ago.

Mead Johnson made 23.7 percent of last year’s $3.1 billion sales in China, compared with 15.3 percent in 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. At a Shanghai Carrefour, shopper George Zhai bought a 400- gram pack of Wyeth’s Promil Gold baby formula for 92 yuan.

“For imported milk powder, we know what’s in there,” Zhai said. “For some of the domestic ones, we aren’t sure. I think unless people can’t afford, most will always choose foreign brands, if not buying overseas. That gives you a guarantee of safety.”

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A VERY special nursery for very special babies has officially opened at Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital, with completion of the new Special Care Nursery. Staff and families made the transition from the previous nursery space on Monday, leaving behind the cramped and outdated space for facilities providing state-of-the-art equipment and creature comforts for parents caring for premature and sick babies.

The new nursery has capacity for 12 babies at any time, as well as a new parents’ lounge, breast-feeding room, isolation room and contemporary nurses’ station. Director of nursing Terri Antonio said the new nursery was a dream come true. “In addition to the excellent new facilities, the space will allow us to better care for babies and parents who join us at difficult times.

“We are converting the previous space into parents’ accommodation for people who travel from a long way away to be with their baby,” she said. She thanked nursing unit manager Nicole Stevens and the nursery staff for a seamless transition.

For rural families as far away as Bacchus Marsh and the South Australian border, the Special Care Nursery can be home for anything from a week to a few months. Tracey Taylor, whose daughter Rebecca is currently being cared for at the nursery, said the facilities were excellent.

“It doesn’t compare to where we were in the old space,” she said. “They have thought of everything and it makes it much easier for us during what really is one of the toughest times of our lives.”Rebecca was making good progress with care of the nursing staff, Ms Taylor said.

Yesterday, representatives from the University of Ballarat human resources department visited the nursery to donate $575 raised through regular casual clothes days. Organiser Glenn Bench said department members chose to donate to the nursery because of the important work it does to support local families.

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TOOTH decay in children is avoidable and the Australian Dental Association is on a mission to spread the message. The ADA has launched website babyteeth.com.au. to help people understand that good oral hygiene and dietary habits, and early access to dental care will prevent painful tooth decay. According to the organisation, the most common reason for children under 15 years to be treated under general anaesthetic was for dental extractions and restorations.

Oral Health Committee chairman Peter Alldritt said the trend was alarming, and oral healthcare in babies and toddlers was just as important as caring for adult teeth. "Dental decay causes serious problems for a child's general development, and it remains a big issue," Dr Alldritt said.

"Decay is largely caused by what and how often a young child eats. "If you add poor oral hygiene habits such as not brushing teeth twice a day, then a young child has a real risk of dental decay."Robina Dental Group's Jamie Arthur said it was important for parents to understand it was easy to prevent decay. "Essentially it is a dietary disease," Dr Arthur said. "What you eat between meals is quite often what does the damage."

He said children had a greater tendency to snack, which could cause damage. "When you eat a large meal the mouth develops saliva which acts as a barrier to help protect teeth," he said. People can reduce the damage caused by sugary foods and fruit juices by rinsing their mouths with water. Dr Arthur said children should see a dentist every six months and floss and brush their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day.

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The U.S. Surgeon General and the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to healthy pregnancy and healthy babies, joined together recently to give the District of Columbia a report grade for its annual Premature Birth Card. With premature birth rates climbing above the national average, the District flunked.

"The March of Dimes report card issued a D because the rates of preterm births are really unacceptably high in the District," said Dr. Jennifer Howse, president of the March of Dimes. "The rate is over 14 percent -- that compares not well with the national average of 12.2 percent and certainly doesn't compare well with the overall March of Dimes goal of 9.6 percent. The factors primarily are higher rates of uninsurance amongst women of childbearing age that can't get into prenatal care if they don't have insurance."

The Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Regina Benjamin, graded the District even lower than the March of Dimes did on its 2011 Premature Birth Card. "Those numbers for D.C. are overall numbers. If you break it down by ethnic group, African-Americans are 19 percent compared to 10 percent for white and 13 percent for Hispanics." Benjamin said. "That's almost double and that's a tremendous number. If that were scored, it would be an F for failing grade."

Howse said the report card and grading system helps the March of Dimes reach its goal which is to prevent preterm births by working with consumers, doctors, hospitals, and health policy experts on a variety of strategies. Smoking cessation programs, ensuring better access to health care for women of childbearing age, preventing unnecessary caesarian sections and improving access to early prenatal care are all important approaches.

"We know that a half million babies are born preterm every year, babies who are born under 37 weeks have a higher chance of having cerebral palsy, vision, and lung problems, so we want to encourage everyone to go the full term which is 39 weeks," she said. "Things a mom can do are stop smoking and don't be around second hand smoke. She can get her prenatal care as early as possible and make sure she tries to go full-term. Don't have an early induction unless it's medically necessary -- a little bit more than nine months."

Although the District received failing grades, overall, the rate of premature births in the U.S. dropped to 12.2 percent in 2009 (latest available figures) from 12.8 percent in 2006. This means that more than 40,000 babies were spared the increased risk of lifelong health consequences of premature birth. According to the March of Dimes, premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death.

Howse said despite the daunting statistics there is some encouraging news concerning pre-term births in the city. "Fewer women are smoking during pregnancy," she said. "Some hospitals in the District with 39-week programs are discouraging premature induction and early scheduling of c-section before 39 weeks."

World Prematurity Day is Nov. 17 and the March of Dimes and its global partners and parents from around the world are calling on governments to reduce death and disability caused by premature birth.

The goal is to recognize 13 million babies born prematurely every year. One million of those babies die as a result of being born prematurely. A premature birth is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of completed gestation.

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Exposure to sunlight should be for 15 minutes three times a day. But the key is in the first eight days of life of the child. It is advisable to carry a newborn in diapers to receive the sun throughout his body.

The right time to expose the baby to the sun is between 7:00 and 9:00 am and after 4:30 pm. This therapy is important because it prevents jaundice, a disease that occurs because the liver of most infants is immature and can not remove bilirubin in full, resulting in a yellowish hue in your skin and brings sleep.

Doctors advise mothers breast milk for their high nutritional value. It provides water to the child and contributes to its growth. This is food to be provided during the first six months of life. Then you can add complementary foods to the diet and fresh fruit jams. If the baby loses fluids can cause dehydration. Symptoms are infrequent and urine dark yellow, sunken eyes, saliva limited and few tears. In this case you should continue breast milk supply and giving sugar water or salt water.

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The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or, in short, Right to Education (RTE) Act, passed by the Parliament in 2009, advocates free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of 6 - 14 years. The law is applicable to all, irrespective of their social status, including those who are taken care of at orphanages and care homes. But all is not well at many care homes here, say voluntary social service organisations.

While most of the inmates of orphanages get proper education, those children who are sent by courts to care homes or orphanages after being involved in litigations suffer as their education is affected, according to a young city-based businessman who has set aside a good share of his time for philanthropic activities. ‘’Either the child is not able to resume education or faces a delay in starting learning at the right age since confusion prevails over the responsibility, until the court is through with the case,’’ he said.

He added that around a year ago, the NGO, which he heads, had to engage in a legal battle after it found that as many as four children, about the age of six and sheltered at a care home in the city, could not begin learning owing to the same reason. However, most care home authorities would not admit to this fact.

Meanwhile, Philomina Cedrie, a member of the Juvenile Justice Board, Thiruvananthapuram,? said that the Board takes special efforts to ensure that the education of children was not affected, regardless of the nature of the case in which they are involved. ‘’The Board is concerned over the proper education of not just the kids caught in litigations, but even those who are slapped with charges of juvenile crimes. The children at the care home of the Juvenile Justice Board are also allowed to pursue education along with other normal children in the school; the only condition being that there would be security personnel who would assist these children to the school and back,’’ she says.

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According to sources, Monu Mehtele gave birth to a boy at the local Chirayu Hospital exactly at 11.11 am.    
The city registered the birth of at least 50 children at the three government-run hospitals till Friday afternoon.  
According to an official information, 27 babies took birth at Sultania Janana Hospital, 12 at the J P Hopsital and six at Indira Gandhi Hospital on Friday.

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At least one newborn baby in four is at high risk of death or abuse because one or both parents are beset by a "toxic trio" of domestic violence, mental health difficulties or substance dependency, according to the NSPCC, the only non-governmental body with statutory power to take children into care.

The charity calculates 198,000 babies in the UK are at high risk in a home beset by abuse, addictions and mental distress. The latter was by far the biggest risk, with 144,000 babies under a year old living with a parent with mental health issues. More than 93,000 babies have a problem drinker as one parent, while 50,000 are with one of their parents having used an "illegal drug" in the past year.

Though reasons for violence and abuse are complex, risk of homicide is greatest in a child's first three months. The NSPCC report, All Babies Count, says the perpetrators are "almost always parents".

The charity is starting an education drive aimed at reaching parents of 80,000 newborns over two years in 12 hospitals, using work in the US which cut hospital admissions by 40%. It is also testing an Australian model of teaching early parenting that cut risk of child harm for drug addicted parents.

A child's "frailty and total dependence" have to be taken into account when judging what constitutes neglect or violence, said the charity, but its analysis of 130 serious case reviews (investigating the death of a child) showed almost 75% had one or more of a "toxic trio" in a parent of mental illness, substance misuse, and domestic abuse as a significant factor. Maltreatment risk, especially neglect, is much higher in "trio" than in "normal" families"; the worst outcome is non-accidental head injury (NAHI), or "baby shaking syndrome", the most common cause of death or long term disability in such cases.

The report also says such conditions mean babies' life chances are worse for future learning, behaviour and health. In New Zealand a study found that, at age 15, a child with at least one problem-drinking parent was more likely to have "mood disorders, depression, anxiety, substance misuse and behaviour problems".

The government welcomed the campaign and its "innovative services". Iain Duncan Smith, work and pensions secretary, said: "At birth, 25% of a child's brain is formed, but already by the age of three, it is 80% formed. So intervening early to prevent harm is absolutely crucial."

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Recent natural disasters in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States have shown even in developed nations infants - especially those fed formula - are vulnerable. Now a new study has found detailed emergency preparedness information specifically for parents and carers could help protect infants from the worst of disaster related harm.

The urgent need to better inform the community was recognised by Dr Karleen Gribble from the University of Western Sydney School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Dr Nina Berry from the University of Wollongong Centre for Health Initiatives, who have published a review today in the International Breastfeeding Journal which details how those who care for infants can prepare for an emergency.

The authors report the needs of infants exclusively breastfed are guaranteed by the presence of their mother; however, protecting the health and wellbeing of formula-fed infants requires extensive emergency supplies.

They recommend emergency management authorities provide advice which distinguishes between breastfed and formula-fed and emphasise that emergency packs are not just extra formula.

Dr Gribble says the challenges of supplying critical and appropriate food and liquid in emergencies places formula-fed infants at higher risk of serious illness and even death.

"In developed countries, good infrastructure, including easy access to clean water, electricity and medical care, means that few infants die as a result of formula feeding. However, when an emergency occurs and essential services are cut, the resources that make formula feeding relatively safe can be severely limited," says Dr Gribble.

"During emergencies the infant and their caregiver are placed in similar conditions to those experienced in developing countries where bottle feeding is very difficult and frequently fatal."

The study outlines, in detail, the emergency kits carers should have ready in case essential services such as water, electricity and gas are unavailable.

An emergency kit for mothers of infants who are exclusively breastfed is minimal, comprising approximately 100 disposable nappies and 200 nappy wipes, a supply sufficient for one week.

"Mothers can continue to breastfeed during an emergency, neither stress nor temporary lack of food has any impact on milk production and mothers can even increase their milk supply if needed through more frequent breastfeeds. In this way, breastfeeding mothers can easily provide their infants with safe food and water and with immune factors to protect from infection," says Dr Gribble.

"An emergency kit for a formula-fed infant requires a great deal more resources."

If powdered infant formula is used supplies should include a large cooking pot to sterilise equipment in boiling water, a kettle, detergent, paper towels, a feeding cup (which is easier to clean than a bottle), a small gas stove with fuel, matches, a metal knife and tongs, a measuring container, a storage container and sufficient clean water as well as the infant formula and nappies and wipes.

"We found approximately three litres of clean water is required for each feeding - enough for reconstituting the formula, washing hands and sterilising and cleaning equipment. This adds up to 24 litres for the average eight feeds per day or 170 litres for a week - a significant demand in an emergency environment," says Dr Gribble

If liquid, ready-to-use infant formula is used in an emergency kit, the study found the requirement for water is roughly halved but the kits still require, detergent, a knife, paper towels, antiseptic wipes, disposable feeding bottles and teats or cups, zip lock bags, a sharp knife, a storage container and ready to use infant formula, nappies and nappy wipes.

"Whilst using ready-to-use infant formula and disposable bottles or feeding cups reduces the amount of supplies necessary and makes the process of actually feeding an infant in emergency conditions simpler, the cost of a large number of single serves of infant formula makes it an expensive option which may be difficult for families to afford," says Dr Gribble.

Even where caregivers have all of these supplies, actually feeding an infant in an emergency situation is still difficult and time consuming.

"If essential services are likely to be unavailable for more than a few days evacuation of formula-fed infants and their carers should be considered," she says.

Dr Gribble says emergency management authorities should encourage communities to support breastfeeding mothers and in areas with seasonal emergencies urge mothers to delay stopping breastfeeding until after the emergency season.

"The greater the proportion of infants exclusively breastfed when an emergency occurs the more resilient the community is and the easier it will be to provide effective aid to the caregivers of formula-fed infants. Emergency preparedness is the key to protecting the most vulnerable in any disaster."

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