Keir Starmer denies supervised brushing in schools plan is 'public policy'
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Labor will introduce supervised tooth brushing for young children at free breakfast clubs if it wins the next election, as part of plans to boost children's health across the country.
Announcing plans to expand dental services to ensure children can get appointments when they need them, the party leader Keir Starmer said that caries should be “sent to the history books” as he a
Labor previously said it would introduce supervised teeth brushing in schools for three to five-year-olds. But the announcement was met with backlash from teachers' unions, who argued that “the role of teachers is not to ensure that children brush their teeth every day”.
Labor now says it will introduce a “targeted” national supervised brushing program to be rolled out in “fully funded breakfast clubs”.
As part of the MDU initiative, the foundation's member doctors have raised over £35,000 for the RMBF.
BASC granted permission for a judicial review of Defra's decision
speaking yesterday Keir Starmer has pledged to increase dental services so children can get appointments when they need them, as part of a plan to create the “healthiest and happiest generation of children”.
Asked by reporters if supervised teeth brushing for three to five-year-olds was a nanny's government policy, Starmer said: “We want to encourage good parenting, but I don't think we can just turn our backs on it.”
He added: “When I first read the statistics that children between the ages of 6 and 10 had the highest number of hospital admissions, I was very impressed. It's shocking – and I don't think you can just say, 'It's none of our business'.
“This means that there is a role for the state in this,” he said, adding that he was “ready for this fight.”
Other aspects of Labour's children's health action plan, which launches today, include a 9pm ban on junk food advertising, a ban on vape advertising aimed at children, better access to mental health support, shorter waiting times for children in hospital, more appointments to the dentist and the belief that children's health is an intergovernmental priority.
The Labor leader also told reporters yesterday: “Frankly, if it was a parent who treated the children so badly – as badly as the UK government – they would probably be charged with neglect.”
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