Kate says emotional skills a priority for healthier society

The latest publication from her Shaping Us project, supported by a range of experts in early years health and education, calls for more emphasis on nurturing emotional and social connections from children’s earliest days.

The project was founded to raise awareness of the importance of the first five years of a child’s life and that experiences in those early years can have a profound long-term influence on adult life.

“It is time that we recognised and acted upon the undeniable significance of social and emotional skills and give them the recognition they deserve,” says Christian Guy, executive director of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

“Getting this right in early childhood, when we lay the foundations upon which these skills continue to grow throughout our lives – could have a truly profound impact on the future of individuals and of our society.”

Vicky Nevin, policy manager of the NSPCC, welcomed Catherine’s initiative and how it highlighted the importance of young children’s wellbeing.

“We know that raising a young child can be challenging and stressful. Families need to know where to find trusted advice to do the best for their baby. When parents feel supported, they are better able to support their children,” she says.

“That’s why health visiting and Family Hubs should be accessible to every family.”

An annual report in December 2024 from England’s education watchdog Ofsted warned of a widening social divide in access to childcare, external.

It warned of childcare “deserts” which were particularly likely in areas of low incomes and high levels of child poverty.

Last Spring, research from the Coram Family and Childcare charity showed parents struggling to find and afford childcare places.

Coram’s managing director Ellen Broome said families faced “a double whammy of above inflation price rises and dramatic drops in availability”.