Children under the age of five and their families will be given tips on how to stay healthy with the launch of a new scheme.

The Healthy Children’s Centre Programme, which is being rolled out across Barnet, will support a wide range of services including encouraging breast feeding, promoting healthy eating and childhood jabs.

Public health staff working at the council have joined forces with the borough’s 13 children’s centres as part of the new project.

The new services were showcased during a healthy children’s centre event at Wingfield Children’s Centre, in Grahame Park, on Thursday.

Liz Bartlett has been leading Wingfield Children’s Centre since 2006, when it was the first Children’s Centre in Barnet to receive Sure Start status.

She and her staff are now working towards achieving the standards to be recognised as a ‘healthy children’s centre’.

Ms Bartlett said: “At Wingfield we have always been proactive in promoting healthy family lives.

“The opportunity to achieve healthy children's centre status by embarking on this journey will only enhance the work that we already do at Wingfield in partnership with our health colleagues.”

This will involve bringing centre staff and health professionals including midwives, psychologists, oral health co-ordinators and other staff.

Once a children’s centre meets the standards and can demonstrate the impact on the families it serves, it can be recognised as a Healthy Children’s Centre.

They will receive a Healthy Children’s Centre logo designed by two Barnet children.

In Barnet, 25 per cent of the population is aged between 0 and 20 years, with a fast growing number of young children.

Councillor Helena Hart, chairman of the health and wellbeing board in Barnet, said: “I am delighted at this early example of the way that our Public Health department has been able to integrate into the council and support our children’s services.

“We know the first five years in a child’s life are incredibly important for their future, which is why it is vital our children’s centres support our young children and their families during these formative years.

Councillor Reuben Thompstone, chairman of the children, education, libraries and safeguarding committee, said: “By bringing together the expertise of a wide range of child health and development professionals under one roof we’ll be able to provide the best possible start in life to our youngest residents.

“The seamless integration of health and family services provided under this model offer a great start for families in Barnet."