Duchess of Cambridge to reveal findings of early years survey

More than half a million people took part in the Royal Foundation’s 5 Big Questions survey, which was launched in January and carried out by Ipsos MORI.

It has produced the largest-ever response from the public to research on early childhood, Kensington Palace said. Ipsos MORI has said the poll response was the biggest in its history.

Kate has been the driving force behind the study, which reports that only one in four people recognise the key importance of the first five years of a child’s life.

While 98 per cent believe that nurture is essential to lifelong outcomes, just 24 per cent think pregnancy to age five is the most pivotal period for health and happiness in adulthood.

Kate will deliver a keynote speech at an online Royal Foundation forum to discuss the study on Friday.

Kensington Palace said next year the duchess will announce ambitious plans to help elevate the importance of early childhood and her future focus on early years development.

Although 90 per cent of respondents see parental mental health and wellbeing as critical to a child’s development, only 10 per cent of parents took time to look after themselves when they prepared for the arrival of their baby, the research found.

The study – which has produced five key insights – also shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically increased parental loneliness, with 38 per cent experiencing this before the crisis, and 63 per cent – almost two-thirds – after the first lockdown, a jump of 25 per cent.

Kate has made early years development one of the main pillars of her public role since she first became a member of the royal family.

Kensington Palace described it as a ‘milestone moment’ for the duchess’s work in this area.

The survey aims to encourage a nationwide conversation on the subject and raise awareness of how the first five years of a child’s life will impact the next 50 years.

The duchess will say in her keynote address, ‘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 I have also seen how positive protective factors in the early years can play a crucial role in shaping our futures.

‘The early years are not simply about how we raise our children. They are in fact about how we raise the next generation of adults.

‘They are about the society we will become.’

Scientific consensus shows it is considered the most pivotal age for development, future health and happiness, compared to any other single period, the report says.

Jason Knauf, chief executive of the Royal Foundation, said of Kate in the report’s foreword, ‘She has seen over and over again how often problems can be traced back to the earliest years of someone’s life and it has become her ambition to bring about change in this area.’

He added, ‘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.’

Poll findings

Other findings include how feeling judged can make a bad situation worse, with seven out of every 10 parents feeling judged by others, and almost half (48 per cent) saying this negatively affected their mental health.

The study also highlights how experiences during lockdown differed for the most deprived communities.

Loneliness for parents was more common in deprived locations, with 13 per cent feeling lonely often or always – nearly three times more than the 5 per cent in the least deprived areas.

The investigation also found that two-fifths (40 per cent) feel that community support has grown during the pandemic, but in the most deprived areas it was 33 per cent and in the least deprived areas 52 per cent.

The cost of late intervention is estimated to be around £17 billion per year in England and Wales, according to figures from 2016.

The report concluded that society as a whole needs to be more supportive of parents and families in the early years, with more done to promote the importance of early years, and better support networks to improve parental mental health.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, described it as ‘concerning, though unfortunately not surprising’ that so few people were aware that pregnancy to age five was such a key time.

‘We know that the first five years of a child’s life are absolutely critical for a child’s long-term life chances, and yet all too often, education and learning is seen as something that begins at the school gates,’ he said.

‘At a time when many parents of young children have been cut off from their normal sources of help, and can only seek limited support from family and friends, it is vital that the Government recognises the value of the early years and ensures that the vital services that provide such important support to parents and families across the country are able to continue to do so.’

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said, 'This report is crucial in showcasing the importance of early years for children’s development, their lifelong learning and therefore their life chances.

'We would like to thank the Duchess for focussing the Foundation’s work in this vital area. It has been great to be involved with their work on this from the start.

'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.

'Nurseries and their staff are excellent at providing great learning opportunities for children, but also supporting families. Early years practitioners are key to developing a child’s foundations for lifelong learning, as well as supporting parents to continue learning opportunities at home.

'These Five Big Insights and the rest of this research must be considered in any policy decisions affecting families and the early years sector - which has been doing fantastic work for children throughout the pandemic.'

The forum will be hosted by TV presenter Dr Xand van Tulleken, who is associate professor of public health at University College London, but best known as half of the twin-presenter duo from CBBC’s Operation Ouch!

A panel discussion will be held with paediatricians and psychiatrists.

The full data will be shared with those who work in both early years and academic research, and is also expected to be seen by the Government.

The research included further qualitative and ethnographic research, a nationally representative survey conducted before the pandemic and, at Kate’s request, a further survey on the impact of Covid-19 on families.

Commenting, Tulip Siddiq MP, Labour’s shadow minister for children and early years,  said, 'The early years of a child’s life are absolutely critical for their social, educational and physical development, yet far too often the services that support young children are not given the priority they deserve. The coronavirus crisis poses an existential threat to the early years sector and the essential education it provides to so many.

'This important intervention from the Duchess of Cambridge is a reminder to us all about what is at stake when decisions are made about early years support, and I hope the Government is listening.'

Children’s minister Vicky Ford said, 'Early education is a crucial building block to set a child up for life and I welcome the Duchess of Cambridge’s focus on this important issue.

'I am enormously proud that since 2013 the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of Reception year has gone from one in two to nearly three quarters of children. But we are determined to improve outcomes even further, especially for the most disadvantaged children, which is why we are reforming the Early Years Foundation Stage and investing in projects to boost early language skills.'

• Read the Duchess' report in full State of the Nation: Understanding Public Attitudes to the Early Years 
• The report's executive summary is available here