Although it is a headache, school shoes are probably the most essential piece of uniform to get right. The bones in children's feet don’t fully develop until age 18.

• At birth, the foot contains 22 partially developed bones.

• By age 5, these will have been divided into 45 bones.

• By about 18, many of these will have fused, and the adult foot contains 26 fully ossified bones.

As children wear their school shoes for 8-9 hours a day, five days a week, it is vital to get shoes that fit well, provide adequate support and have sufficient growing room to prevent toes from becoming cramped. Factor in the child’s desire to have fashionable shoes, shoes with toys in the soles, the same pair their friend has, etc. - it can be a minefield!

For more information about growing feet and a directory of shoe shops that have highly qualified shoe fitters visit Fit Kid Shoes.

To keep feet strong and supple, encourage your children to be barefoot as much as possible, so take those shoes off whenever it is safe to do so.

And if you have any concerns regarding your child's foot development, why not book with one of our podiatrists?

Book your child's foot assessment here