Ahead of this weekend’s Trooping the Colour, where the Princess of Wales will join Prince William and their children, Princess Kate announced a major new initiative through her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. On Friday, the Centre revealed it will fund a groundbreaking pilot program, Happy Little Minds, aimed at transforming how mental health experts support the social and emotional development of babies and young children within early education settings.
This innovative collaboration brings together two leading children’s charities, Barnardo’s and Place2Be, to provide bespoke training and consultation for nearly 50 early education practitioners across two nurseries in Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The program will also offer guidance to parents and work directly with children and families, impacting around 150 children and their families over a 12-month period, starting this month.
The Princess of Wales has long been an advocate for the importance of social and emotional development in young children, understanding that these early years play a critical role in mental health both in the short term and over the course of their lives. Earlier this year, the Centre for Early Childhood published The Shaping Us Framework, which aims to raise awareness about the significance of these skills and inspire societal action.
Christian Guy, Executive Director of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, emphasized the importance of well-supported early education settings in positively influencing children’s development and preventing future mental health issues. He highlighted that the collaboration with Place2Be and Barnardo’s would help establish best practices for supporting young children in these crucial early years.
This pilot program is expected to make a transformational impact, not only on the children directly involved but also on society as a whole, by addressing mental health challenges from the earliest stages of life.
