Examining the impact of cuts to local government spending on Sure Start Children’s Centres on childhood obesity: a commentary

2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2021-217190
Author(s):  
Tim Huijts
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Bryant ◽  
Wendy Burton ◽  
Michelle Collinson ◽  
Amanda Farrin ◽  
Jane Nixon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Low parental participation reduces the impact and sustainability of public health childhood obesity prevention programmes. Using data from a focused ethnography, we developed a multi-level, theory-based implementation optimisation intervention. The optimisation intervention aimed to support local authorities and children’s centres to adopt behaviours to promote engagement in ‘HENRY (Health Exercise Nutrition for the Really Young)’, a UK community obesity prevention intervention. Methods We evaluated the effectiveness of the optimisation intervention on programme enrolment and completion over a 12 implementation period in a cluster randomised controlled trial. We randomised 20 local government authorities (with 126 children’s centres) to HENRY plus the optimisation intervention or to HENRY alone. Primary outcomes were (1) the proportion of centres enrolling at least eight parents per programme and (2) the proportion of centres with a minimum of 75% of parents attending at least five of eight sessions per programme. Trial analyses adjusted for stratification factors (pre-randomisation implementation of HENRY, local authority size, deprivation) and allowed for cluster design. A parallel mixed-methods process evaluation used qualitative interview data and routine monitoring to explain trial results. Results Neither primary outcome differed significantly between groups; 17.8% of intervention centres and 18.0% of control centres achieved the parent enrolment target (adjusted difference -1.2%; 95%CI: -19.5%, 17.1%); 17.1% of intervention centres and 13.9% of control centres achieved the attendance target (adjusted difference 1.2%; 95%CI: -15.7%, 18.1%). Unexpectedly, the trial coincided with substantial national service restructuring, including centre closures and reduced funds. Some commissioning and management teams stopped or reduced implementation of both HENRY and the optimisation intervention due to competing demands. Thus, at follow up, HENRY programmes were delivered to approximately half the number of parents compared to baseline (n=433 vs. 881). Conclusions During a period in which services were reduced by policies outside the realm of this research, this first definitive trial found no evidence of effectiveness for an implementation optimisation intervention promoting parent engagement in an obesity prevention intervention. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02675699 registered 4th February 2016. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02675699


Author(s):  
Candra Fajri Ananda ◽  
Moh. Khusaini ◽  
Atu Bagus Wiguna

Objective - The poverty issue in East Java Province is an interesting research object. This phenomenon has retrieved in every fiscal year, although the intergovernmental transfer funds increase significantly annually. In the decentralization era, a region has been authorized to identify its problem and provide solutions based on their initiatives and preferences. The local government through their budget should focus on their problem solving, i.e. poverty alleviation. Utilizing panel regression, we found that government spending on education and health can reduce poverty rate. Methodology/Technique - OLS (Ordinary Least Squared) modelwas utilized to answer the objective of the study, that is, to see how the effect of government spending in various sectorson poverty alleviation. Findings - Using the panel regression model, this study found that government spending on education has a negative impact on poverty rate in the East Java Province. The impact on this variable appears to be statistically significant. Novelty - This study showed that central and local government should synchronize their proposed programs, reducing overlapped programs, to pursue a higher efficiency of budget management. Type of Paper - Empirical/Review Keywords: Quality Spending, Budget Deficit/Surplus, Poverty Alleviation. JEL Classification: H72, I31, I32.


Author(s):  
Beta Asteria

This research deals with the impact of Local Tax and Retribution Receipt to Local Government Original Receipt of Regency/City in Central Java from 2008 to 2012. This research utilizes the data of actual of local government budget from Directorate General of Fiscal Balance (Direktorat Jendral Perimbangan Keuangan). Methods of collecting data through census. The number of Regency/City in Central Java are 35. But the data consists of 33 of Regency/City In Central Java from 2008 to 2012. Total of samples are 165. Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency were not included as samples of this research because they didn’t report the data of actual of local government budget to Directorate General of Fiscal Balance in 2009.The model used in this research is multiple regressions. The independent variables are Local Tax and Retribution Receipt, the dependent variable is Local Government Original Receipt. The research findings show that Local Tax and Retribution give the significant impact partially and simultaneusly on Local Government Original Receipt at real level 5 percent. All independent variables explain 91,90 percent of the revenue variability while the rest 8,10 percent is explained by other variables.Keywords: Local Tax, Retribution, and Local Government Original Receipt


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