One in five Suffolk toddlers missing key development milestones

Why it matters: The figures highlight ongoing concerns about child development support services, with a leading children's charity warning that under-resourced family hubs are preventing parents from accessing crucial help.

By the numbers:

• 80% of Suffolk toddlers met expected standards across five key development areas

• This represents a slight improvement from 78% the previous year

• Current rates remain significantly below the pre-pandemic figure of 91%

• The assessment covered 5,636 children aged between two and two-and-a-half years

The bigger picture: The trend mirrors a national pattern, with England's overall development rates still lagging behind pre-Covid levels:

• 80% of toddlers nationally met expected standards, up from 79%

• This remains below the pre-pandemic rate of 83%

What they're saying: "It's vital that parents can access trusted advice and support from professionals during this time. However, too often maternity, health visiting and family hubs services are under-resourced and hard to reach for families," said Vicky Nevin, policy manager at the NSPCC.

For context: Regional variations show significant disparities across England:

• East of England achieves 85% development rate

• Yorkshire and The Humber leads with 86%

• London records the lowest rate at 75%

• Individual authorities range from 23% in Ealing to 95% in Wokingham

The bottom line: NSPCC is calling for government action to address nationwide shortages of 2,500 midwives and 5,000 health visitors, warning of a "postcode lottery" in support services.