New research has highlighted the importance of diet and language development in children early years as an indicator of their future health and success.
Leading Educational Psychologist and Government Adviser Jean Gross has called for two-year-olds to be tested on their ability to talk to ensure they receive help at an early stage. The former teacher argues that those with poor speech at two are doomed to a lifetime of failure and that language problems are often identified too late in a child’s development.
Her recommendations come as SCHOOLS North East Commercial Supporter, The School Food Trust, reveal new guidelines aimed at reducing obesity in pre-school children. The guidelines follow a report which found that more than a fifth of children were overweight or obese when they started school. The new voluntary guidelines are a nationally recognised source of information on food for young children. The Schools Food Trust intends to pilot the new guidelines with five local authorities, with more joining the scheme later in 2012.
