The health of Drenthe residents is under pressure. More and more children grow up in circumstances that limit their chances of a healthy life. The differences between municipalities are significant: it matters where you are born in Drenthe. This needs to change. That is why the Province of Drenthe is investing in the Promising Start action program carried out by GGD Drenthe, which focuses on the first thousand days of a child, from ten months before birth to two years after. This period is crucial for physical, mental, and social health later in life.
With a one-time subsidy of over € 232,000 from the Province of Drenthe, GGD Drenthe has the opportunity to make a basic offer of recognized interventions from the national program Promising Start available in all Drenthe municipalities. Currently, the offerings differ per municipality, which means not every child gets the same start.
From care to health
Promising Start focuses on improving health and reducing health disparities. By investing early in families in vulnerable situations, health problems later in life can be prevented. This means fewer care requests, less pressure on care capacity, and lower healthcare costs in the future.
Training and monitoring
With the subsidy from the Province of Drenthe, GGD Drenthe can focus on training and educating professionals who will implement the recognized interventions from the national program Promising Start. This professionalization is essential to roll out and implement the basic offer throughout Drenthe. At the same time, the effect of the basic offer will be monitored, providing insight into what works and where adjustments need to be made.
Deputy Yvonne Turenhout: “A healthy future begins with a promising start. It should not matter where you are born. By supporting this project, we as a province are investing in equal opportunities for every child in Drenthe.”
