Duchess of Cambridge highlights the importance of early childhood experiences

The Duchess of Cambridge will reveal that only a quarter of parents understand the critical importance of early childhood, as she warns that poor care during the first five years can result in family breakdown, addiction and homelessness.

A landmark study – the biggest of its kind in the UK – concluded that parents need better support and access to information from society as a whole.

It said the significance of pregnancy and pre-school development must be better promoted, warning that the current lack of understanding could lead to a “passive” approach to childcare.

The 57-page report, commissioned by the Royal Foundation and called State of the Nation: Understanding Public Attitudes to the Early Years, has been hailed a milestone moment for the Duchess, who has spent nine years focusing on children under the age of five and the impact of those years on later life.

Its conclusions will inform her work for years to come as she seeks to create generational change. Next year, the Duchess will announce ambitious plans to help elevate the importance of early childhood.

Kensington Palace said the research has already been described as “invaluable” by the early years sector, which is expected to draw extensively on its findings.

The cost of late intervention is estimated to be around £17 billion per year in England and Wales.

The report highlighted a discrepancy between scientific and parental understanding of the significance of early years development, and a “gap in knowledge” about how this pivotal period is perceived.

While 98 per cent said they understood that nurture was essential to lifelong outcomes, only 24 per cent recognised that pregnancy to age five was the most pivotal period for health and happiness in adulthood.

Most (57 per cent) deemed all of a child’s life to be equally important.

In a keynote speech to be delivered at a Royal Foundation forum on Friday, the Duchess will say: “Over the last decade I have met people from all walks of life.

“I have seen that experiences such as homelessness, addiction, and poor mental health are often grounded in a difficult childhood.”

But she will add that “positive protective factors” in the early years can play a future role in shaping future lives.

“The early years are not simply about how we raise our children,” she will add. “They are in fact about how we raise the next generation of adults. They are about the society we will become.”

Royal sources have indicated that the speech will show the mother-of-three in a new light as she talks passionately about the cause that has become so close to her heart.

The report was compiled from various pieces of research, conducted by Ipsos MORI, including the Royal Foundation’s “five big questions on the under-fives” poll, completed by more than 500,000 people, the largest-ever response to a public survey of its kind.

It found that while the vast majority of parents of under-fives recognised that their own mental health played a crucial role in that of their children, three quarters found the varying demands of parenthood stressful and only one in ten took time to look after themselves when preparing for the arrival of their baby.

Feelings of judgment were found to have a huge impact, with seven in 10 parents feeling judged by others, and almost half saying this negatively affected their mental health. Meanwhile, six in ten non-parents admitted they judged parents.

The report also found that parental loneliness had dramatically increased during the coronavirus pandemic, from 38 per cent to 63 per cent, with those living in the most deprived areas the worst affected.

More than a third of all parents expect the pandemic to have a negative impact on their long-term mental health.

Around 60 per cent of parents said they considered primary schools equally responsible for their child’s development, leading the report to warn that parents might be underestimating the importance of their interactions with pre-school children or leaving developmental activities until they start school.

The report concludes that it is crucial parents feel “society as a whole supports them in bringing up their child”.

“The significance of this opportunity is not just its bearing on better outcomes for children but its impact on health and happiness for the whole of life and for future generations,” it adds.

In the foreword, Jason Knauf (below), chief executive of the Royal Foundation, says: “Action is what we need. Within these pages lie the opportunities and obstacles which we must collectively embrace if we are to give every child in this country the very best odds in life.”

The report will be shared with the early years sector and academics and is also expected to be seen by the Government.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said it was “crucial” in highlighting the importance of early years and must be considered in any policy decisions affecting families.

“The results from the survey are clear that parents do not always recognise the very real impact that early education, both within the family and through formal childcare settings, has on their children’s development,” she said.

“This research must be considered in any policy decisions affecting families and the early years sector.”