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For nearly a decade, the Duchess of Cambridge has studied the importance of the early years of a child’s life, speaking with experts and families across the UK, and now she has unveiled the results of study her nationwide on the subject as she prepares to give a keynote address.
The research released today follows Kate’s Big 5 Questions survey and other studies, including one on how families have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The results include that 70% of parents in the UK say they feel judged by others and parents reported a sharp increase (from 38% to 63%) in loneliness throughout the pandemic.
In Kate’s speech today, she should reflect on her years of research in the field. “I have seen that experiences such as homelessness, substance abuse and poor mental health are often rooted in difficult childhoods,” she said. “But I also saw how the positive protective factors in the early years can play a crucial role in shaping our future… The early years are not just about how we raise our children. They are really about how we are raising the next generation of adults. They concern the society that we will become.
The survey, which was launched in January, received 527,898 responses, of which 435,141 were from the UK. Today Kate will participate in an online forum where her speech will be delivered. Next year, she is expected to announce plans to help heighten the importance of early childhood.
Kensington Palace says the top five findings of the investigation are:
1. People overwhelmingly believe that a child’s future is not predetermined at birth. However, most people do not understand the specific importance of the early years.
In response to the Big 5 questions, 98% of people believe education is essential to lifelong outcomes, but only one in four recognizes the specific importance of the first five years of a child’s life.
2. The reality of life makes it difficult for parents to prioritize their well-being.
90% of people consider the mental health and well-being of parents to be essential for a child’s development, but in reality people do very little to prioritize themselves. Only 10% of parents said they took the time to look after their own well-being when asked how they prepared for the arrival of their baby. Worryingly, more than a third of all parents (37%) expect the COVID-19 pandemic to have a negative impact on their long-term mental well-being.
3. Feeling judged by others can make a bad situation worse.
Seventy percent of parents feel judged by others, and among these parents, almost half feel it has a negative impact on their mental health.
4. People have been separated from their family and friends during the pandemic and at the same time the loneliness of parents has increased dramatically. Disturbingly, people are also less willing to ask for help with what they are feeling.
Parental loneliness has increased dramatically during the pandemic, from 38% previously to 63% as parents are cut off from friends and family. The increase in parental loneliness is more apparent in the most disadvantaged areas. These parents are more than twice as likely as those living in less deprived areas to say that they often or always feel alone (13% vs. 5%). Additionally, there appears to have been an increase in the proportion of parents who feel uncomfortable asking for help with what they are feeling from 18% before the pandemic to 34% during it. this.
5. During the COVID-19 pandemic, support from local communities has increased dramatically for many, but not all.
Communities across the UK have come together powerfully to meet the challenge of an unprecedented era. 40% of parents believe that community support has increased. However, parents in the most disadvantaged areas are less likely to have benefited from this increased support (33%) than elsewhere.
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