Are New Social Welfare Budget Cuts In Britain 'Failing Children On a Grand Scale'?

Leading British doctors of the British Medical Association (BMA) are accusing Prime Minister David Cameron of "not taking children's interests seriously," according to the Telegraph.

The BMA claims that recent budget cuts to social care and welfare benefits are harming the well-being of children from some of the U.K.'s poorest families, and that Cameron is failing to live up to his pledge to make Britain the "most family-friendly country in Europe."

The parliamentary Health and Education select committees were called upon by the BMA to launch an inquiry into the welfare of British children, in a new report called "Growing Up In The UK."

Professor Sir Albert Aynsley-Green, the first children's commissioner for England, spoke on the launch of the new report to the Telegraph.

"Britain is failing its children on a grand scale," he said. "We have failed, are still failing, and will continue to fail far too many of our children until we grasp the reality of what this book spells out...I shine my spotlight firmly on politicians for not taking children's interests seriously." 

The BMA's new report emphasized that "more children than ever" in the U.K. were put into social care last year, due mainly to abuse and neglect, with a greater number of children dying last year than in any other western European nation. The report attributed the alarming rates to failings in health care, saying "just three per cent of children with asthma have a full, written plan for managing their condition and only five per cent with diabetes are being given a level of care which meets 'best practice' guidelines."

The report also called for more parenting classes aimed at children who live households with "unhealthy lifestyles," in an attempt to tackle poor nutrition and alcoholic consumption during pregnancy, as well as put a ban on the advertising of certain foods to children. 

"The BMA is particularly concerned that any improvements in tackling child poverty are in danger of being eroded by some government welfare policies," said Professor Averil Mansfield, chair of the BMA's board of science. "Children should not pay the price for the economic downturn ... while there has been some progress I still find it shocking that for a society that considers itself to be child-friendly that we consistently underperform in international ratings."

The welfare policies the BMA are referring to include cuts to Britain's Sure Start centers - government area-based initiatives that aim to improve childcare, early education, health and family support - as well as changes to the U.K.'s benefits systems.

A report by UNICEF placed Britain as 16th out of 29 wealthy countries for children's well-being, an increase from the U.K. holding last place in 2007, "but much of this progress could be wiped out because of government policy since the last general election," the BMA's report claimed. 

"The truth is, our welfare reforms will improve the lives of some of the poorest families in our communities, with the Universal Credit making three million household better off and lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty," a government spokesperson said recently. "Every child should have the same opportunity to lead a healthy life, no matter where they live or who they are. Working with a broad range of organisations, we have pledged to do everything possible to improve children's health."