The United Nations has expressed "grave concern" about the violation of children's rights in Britain.

Jaap Doek, chairman of the UN committee on the rights of the child, called for urgent action to stop abuses and backed a report today from the Children's Rights Alliance for England drawing attention to slow progress in tackling youth poverty.

Gordon Brown is planning to make increased spending on children a centrepiece of his pre-Budget report on Thursday.

Children's minister Margaret Hodge is due to publish the government's childcare strategy the same day.