The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) is a mandatory initiative delivered in England to children in Reception and Year 6. To date, no research has explored the methods used to deliver the NCMP by Local Government Authorities (LGA) across England.

An online survey was administered between February 2018 and May 2018 to explore the delivery of the NCMP across the 152 LGA in England and disseminated using non-probability convenience sampling.

LGA received an anonymous link to the survey.

A total of 92 LGA participated in the survey.

Most LGA who responded provide result feedback (86 %), a proactive follow-up (71 %) and referrals to services (80 %). Additionally, 65 % of the authorities tailor Public Health England specimen result letters to suit their needs, and 84 % provide attachments alongside. Out of 71 % of LGA who provide proactive follow-up, 19 (29 %) provide the proactive follow-up only to upper weight categories and only 4 (6 %) include Healthy Weight category with other categories in proactive follow-up. Regarding the service availability for children, out of 80 % of LGA who indicated that services are available, 32 (43 %) targeted solely upper weight categories, while the other 42 (57 %) offered services across all weight categories. Finally, most LGA (88 %) commission providers to manage various parts of the NCMP.

The results show that LGA in England localise the NCMP. Further guidance regarding standards of best practice would help LGA to find the most suitable localisation out of various options that exist across other LGA.

To develop a descriptive account of parents’ experiences of written feedback from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), based on primary data collected from semi-structured focus groups.

Four focus groups were held with a purposive sample of parents who had recently received written weight feedback from the NCMP in one local authority in England. Thematic data analysis was undertaken to develop a narrative of emergent themes regarding parents’ experiences and the social influences shaping this.

The population of interest was parents of 4- and 5-year-olds who had recently received written feedback from the NCMP. Eighteen parents participated and represented the full spectrum of categories provided in NCMP feedback (under-, healthy, over- and very overweight).

Participants often rejected overweight feedback as lacking in credibility and considered NCMP communication to be targeting parents other than themselves. Family and peers collaborated in the dismissal of overweight feedback, further legitimising participants’ decision to disregard their child’s overweight categorisation.

Our study provides an insight into parents’ experiences of NCMP feedback, including how they relate to and understand that experience within a social context. By doing so, it makes a unique contribution to the existing body of evidence. Recommendations for practice based on the findings include further efforts to raise parents’ and communities’ awareness of childhood obesity, risks associated with childhood excess weight and obesity prevalence as a mainstream issue.