The Princess of Wales has launched a campaign on one of her most personal causes – the “critical importance of our early childhood“. In an open letter, Catherine says not enough attention is paid to how children’s first five years profoundly shape “the adults we become”.
It is the latest stage in her long-standing efforts to raise the profile of the early years of children’s development.
Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales said:
“The way we develop, through our experiences, relationships, and surroundings during our early childhood, fundamentally shapes our whole lives. It affects everything from our ability to form relationships and thrive at work, to our mental and physical well-being as adults and the way we parent our own children.
“These are the most preventative years. By focusing our collective time, energy, and resources to build a supportive, nurturing world around the youngest members of our society and those caring for them, we can make a huge difference to the health and happiness of generations to come.
“All of society has a role to play in this, even if you are not directly involved in a child’s life, because we are all responsible for building a more compassionate world in which our children can grow, learn and live.
“In these difficult times, it is more important than ever to help support parents and caregivers provide loving, safe and secure homes for their babies and young children to thrive.”