Conclusion
Asset-Based Community Development proved a useful ‘lens’
to view research in schools on the interaction of education
and health improvement. Having confirmed that there are
promising areas for health gain from using schools as ‘assets’,
28 there is now a need for good experimental research
that tests enhancing such assets within public health, specifically. In the UK this needs to inform the commissioning for
child and family health emerging within local authorities. As
well as improving universal school health services27 local
government commissioners need to address health inequalities95 in populations like children in care, homeless
young people or children with disabilities. Such commissioning for disadvantaged subgroups of children needs a
much better evidence base