• A proper fit – This is the most important thing. Insist on professional shoe-fitters for free, no-obligation fit checks. They only use the foot gauge as a guide to selecting the correct footwear, but use skill and experience to interpret and fit every child’s feet individually.

Badly-fitting shoes can cause long-term health problems, so never settle for anything less than the perfect fit. Remember child-ren’s feet grow in spurts, so check their size every six to eight weeks when they’re toddling and every three to four months when they’re a bit older.

• The shoe – Look for shoes that come in whole and half sizes, and in different width fittings, to ensure the best fit. Choose carefully – designed footwear, styled to resemble the natural shape of the foot.

In a toddler, this is wide at the toe and narrow at the heel. The inside edge should be straight to avoid pressure on the big toe and they should fit snugly around the heel.

Many Start-rite shoes feature a special elongated stiffener in the heel to hold the foot upright – to aid natural balance and muscle and bone development. Choose a shoe with an effective fastener across the instep so your child doesn’t have to curl his toes to keep them on.

Buy shoes made from, and lined with, breathable materials such as leather. This will allow the child’s feet to breathe, mould to the feet and offer safe and gentle protection.

Look for soles that are lightweight, flexible and non-slip. In older children, heels should not be too high. Space allowance around the toes is greater in Start-rite shoes than any other brand.

Startrite shoes and free fittings are available from all Scholl Foothealth Centres at Level -2, The Point, Valletta, Fgura, Mosta and Abela’s Health and Beauty Centre in Gozo.