Written question asked by Paul Marsden (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 19 November 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 28 November 2002. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Thursday, 28 November 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of young children were classified as failing to thrive in each year since 1997. - Not held centrally. Includes ref to "Working Together Under the Children Act 1989" and "Working Together to Safeguard Children - a Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children".

Answer: Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of young children were classified as failing to thrive in each year since 1997. [82746] Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not held centrally. The category, `failure to thrive', has not been used in the Government's child protection guidance since 1991. "Working Together Under the Children Act 1989", which was first published in 1991, and later replaced in 1999 by "Working Together to Safeguard Children--a Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children", narrowed the categories used when placing a child's name on the child protection register. The category of `failure to thrive' is now, therefore, no longer recommended for use as a child protection register category.

Secondary information