§ Lord Northbourneasked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of mothers and fathers (respectively) attending antenatal clinics have received advice not only on child birth and physical care of the young child but also on the emotional needs of young children and the kinds of care appropriate to fulfilling those needs. [HL657]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe information requested is not collected centrally. However, the antenatal services work closely with the postnatal services. Parents are given advice after the birth of the baby mainly through health visitors, who visit in the first six weeks after the birth of the child to provide guidance and support on the physical as well as the emotional needs of young children. TheBirth to Five book is available free to all first-time mothers—usually handed out by the health visitor on the first visit after the mother has returned home with her baby 216WA rather than at the antenatal clinic. This is a complete guide to parenthood and covers the first five years of the child's life and includes caring for its emotional needs.
§ Lord Northbourneasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were:
- (a) the number of births registered in the most recent year for which statistics are available;
- (b) the number of mothers who attended antenatal clinics in the same year;
- (c) the number of fathers who attended antenatal clinics in the same year; and
- (d) the percentage of mothers and fathers (respectively) attending who followed through the whole course. [HL658]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe number of births registered in 2001 for England and Wales was 594,634 live births and 3,159 stillbirths.
The information relating to the number of mothers and fathers attending antenatal clinics is not collected centrally. However, relevant information relating to some specific activity in the National Health Service is published as part of the Reference Costs 2002 publication which gives the activity data for first and follow-up attendances in NHS Trust Antenatal clinics. This is available at www.doh.uk/nhsexec/refcosts.htm. An extract is as follows.
Antenatal care provision, including courses of antenatal classes, is determined on the needs of women and their partners and there is also no central collection of statistics for these.
National Schedule of Reference Costs-NHS Trusts Outpatient Maternity Services Attendance Data Service code Ante-natal outpatients: NHS trusts No of first attendances No. of follow-up attendances MSA1 Mothers with substance abuse 4,733 9,993 MDI1 Mothers with diabetes 5,082 21,081 MOT1 Other 268,303 844,054 Sub-Total NHS Trusts 278,118 875,128
Service code Ante-natal outpatients: PCTs No. of first attendances No. of follow-up attendances MOT1 Other 210 436 Sub-total PCTs 210 436 Grand totals 278,328 875,564 Data based on financial year 2001: source data: Reference Costs 2002 publication. NB: Service not provided by PMS + sites. Activity available for mother only; father may/may not also attend, but is not counted/costed.