Banbury mum leads child health and wellbeing discussion at House of Commons

On September 7, mother-of-two Tamsin Brewis of The Children's Alliance discussed raising awareness of the health and wellbeing issues that children face in the UK, with the ultimate goal of creating a ministerial position dedicated to improving children's lives.

The discussions were centred around four reports the Children’s Alliance produced on children’s wellbeing. They were Early Years, Physical Health, Mental Health, and Community and Well Being.

Anna Firth, MP for Southend West and a long-standing advocate for children's well-being, hosted the event. She founded the Invicta National Academy in 2020 and was recently appointed to the House of Commons Education Select Committee.

Also in attendance was pop star and father of four, Peter Andre, Water Babies directors Paul Thompson and Howard Harrison, and the widow of the founder of Water Babies, Alison Franks.

Tamsin said: "We are thrilled that these reports have been recognised and presented at the House of Commons as it signifies that the steps we are taking to help young children in the community are worthwhile."

These reports propose that NHS England and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities should adopt a public mental health approach. This includes recognising the importance of early detection and prompt access to professional treatment that should be available to prevent mental ill health early on in life.

Baroness Frances D’Souza, honorary president of The Children’s Alliance, said: "The earlier the intervention for a child that is struggling mentally, the less likely that successive adult societies will pay a human and economic bill for mental illness, suggesting the earlier a child is helped with their wellbeing, the better this will be for future generations, both economically and socially."

Tamsin, who owns Water Babies Bucks and Beds baby swim school, has advocated for the importance of instilling confidence in children and has been pivotal in the passing of this report.

Tamsin said: "Water confidence builds life confidence and the things the children experience in the pool, such as overcoming an obstacle or learning a new skill, will help them in their daily lives too, giving them the confidence to handle challenges on dry land."