The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published a Scotland-focused briefing following the launch of its UK State of Child Health 2026 report.
The briefing provides a clear and comprehensive overview of children’s health in Scotland, examining progress against 12 key child health indicators, including infant and child mortality, mental health, obesity, immunisation and asthma.
RCPCH Scotland analysis shows:
- Scotland had the highest reported child mortality rate among the UK nations in 2024, at 10.1 deaths per 100,000 children.
- Twenty-seven percent of five-year-olds in Scotland had obvious tooth decay in 2024-25, with no improvement since 2020.
- Of that number, 40% of children in the most deprived areas had evidence of tooth decay, compared with just 16% of children in the least deprived areas.
- Nearly a quarter (24%) of children aged 4 to 5 were overweight or living with obesity in 2024-25. Children living in Scotland’s most deprived areas were also twice as likely to be at risk of obesity than those living in the least deprived areas.
- Vaccination coverage remains a significant concern, with very few routine childhood vaccines meeting the 95% uptake target, and substantially lower uptake among children living in the most deprived areas.
- Socioeconomic inequalities in early childhood development remain persistent. At the 27-to-30-month review, children living in Scotland’s most deprived areas are 14.8 percentage points more likely to have a developmental concern recorded than children living in the least deprived areas.
Following this analysis, a recent YouGov poll of parents in Scotland found that there is a clear public expectation that more action is needed to improve children's health and access to care. The YouGov poll found that:
- Fifty-five percent of Scottish parents with children under 18 believe the Scottish Government is doing too little to support child health.
- Long waiting times are seen as the biggest barrier to children and young people receiving the care they need, with 40% of Scottish parents with children under 18 identifying this as the NHS issue with the greatest impact.
Without urgent action, paediatricians warn that Scotland risks raising one of the unhealthiest generations of children in decades. Failure to improve child health today risks lifelong health problems, poorer educational outcomes and entrenched inequalities long into the future.
In response to these trends, the State of Child Health 2026 sets out a much-needed roadmap for change, with the 12 child health indicators providing a practical framework for current and future governments to track progress and drive improvements in children’s health.
If eradicating child poverty is truly a national mission, it must be matched by decisive action and long-term investment. The Scottish Government must take urgent action to reduce child poverty and deliver sustained investment in the child health workforce to meet growing demand and provide timely, specialist care.
RCPCH Officer for Scotland, Dr Lynn Macleod, said:
This report shows that too many children and young people in Scotland are being let down, with those living in the poorest communities facing the worst health outcomes. It is unacceptable that Scotland also has the highest reported child mortality rate among the UK nations. For paediatricians, it is deeply distressing to witness children experiencing preventable declines in their health and wellbeing, particularly in communities facing the greatest levels of poverty and disadvantage.
These outcomes are not inevitable. That is why we are calling on the Scottish Government to deliver sustained investment and prioritise prevention, so that every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy and thrive.
Nicola Killean, Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland, said:
This report raises concerning failings in upholding children in Scotland’s right to the best possible standard of mental and physical health. Children from minority ethnic groups or living in poverty are impacted most, and this is deeply worrying.
My office shares concerns that mental health services in Scotland are not there when children need them, and too often leave young people without support before reaching crisis point. They must have access to services, care, and treatment appropriate to their age and condition. Without this, their rights to health, development, and life can all be impacted.
We support calls for improved data collection and transparency, not only to improve care but to enable children to engage with government action on their rights.
The Scottish Government must take this report seriously and take action, including through investment in services, to improve children’s right to health. We need better data collection to see the true picture and inform effective change. Children should be able to see what progress is – or isn’t – being made. There needs to be greater transparency so that the Scottish Government and public authorities can be held accountable.