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About us

Our vision is a healthier, happier, more nurturing society, transformed by our collective approach to early childhood.

The Princess of Wales founded The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 after a decade of royal duties. During this time she saw first hand how some of today’s hardest social challenges, such as addiction, violence and homelessness – often underpinned by poor mental health – so often have their roots in the earliest years of life.

The science is now clear. The first five years of our lives – from pregnancy to the age of five – are absolutely fundamental to our future, both as individuals and as a society. We must recognise their importance and prioritise those earliest years to ensure future generations are equipped with the vital life skills they need to thrive.
However, we know from our annual public perceptions survey, that less than one in five people understand the specific importance of these early years.

And so, we are on a mission to increase awareness of, and action on, the extraordinary impact of early childhood – translating compelling scientific advances to change what we all think and do between pregnancy and five.

How we work

Research

We believe the case for early childhood starts with science and data. We support, deliver and showcase high-quality research to shape our activity, to increase knowledge and to promote best practice.

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Collaboration

We believe that tackling the toughest challenges in early childhood and achieving the biggest, long-term impact requires people coming together. We will collaborate with people from across the private, public and voluntary sectors and all walks of life to make positive change.

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Campaigning

We believe that to achieve transformative societal impact we all need to understand why early childhood matters and what we can do to make lasting change. We will raise awareness and inspire action through creative campaigns and activity.

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Timeline

11'

Early work

Social issues

The Duchess begins her work as a member of The Royal Family by engaging with grassroots charities focused on issues of addiction, homelessness and family breakdown.

12'

January 2012

Action on addiction

The Duchess becomes patron of Action on Addiction, a charity helping people to live lives free of addiction and challenging the stigma that surrounds it. She hears first-hand about the long-term impact of poor mental health.

15'

September 2015

HMP Send

Female prisoners enrolled in a special addiction treatment programme talk to The Duchess about the potential for early trauma to shape life outcomes and the positive ways that this cycle can be broken for future generations.

16'

May 2016

Heads Together

Inspired by the understanding that mental health is at the root of many social issues, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex launch Heads Together, a national campaign to tackle stigma and change the conversation around mental health.

'17
The Prince and Princess of Wales with marathon runners

April 2017

Young People's Mental Health

In response to the rate of mental health issues amongst the young, Heads Together transforms the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon into ‘The Mental Health Marathon,’ encouraging millions of people to become comfortable in talking about their mental health.

'18
The Princess of Wales talking with a young girl at a school.

January 2018

Mentally Healthy Schools launch

Providing the next generation with mental health support becomes a key priority with the launch of Mentally Healthy Schools. But conversations with parents and teachers suggest that children need help even before they start school, since 46% are arriving at reception not school ready.

'18
Alain Gregoire speaking at a podium at an event in 2018.

March 2018

Early Years Symposium

The Duchess hosts a dedicated symposium at the Royal Society of Medicine to highlight the scientific link between early childhood development and later life outcomes.

'18
The Princess of Wales with leaders in the Early Years sector.

May 2018

Early Years Steering Group

A Steering Group of academics, scientists, practitioners and service providers is convened to consider how, by working together, we can deliver positive lasting change.

'19
The Princess of Wales talking to midwives

November 2019

On the frontline

Shadowing midwives at London’s Kingston Hospital offers a practical immersion into the services and support available to families and the vital role that midwives play in nurturing good mental health from pregnancy. 

'20
The Princess of Wales in a coffee shop with parents and children.

November 2020

State of the Nation survey

The biggest public study ever conducted on the early years concludes, having attracted over half a million responses to the 5 Big Questions. The study reveals that only 24% of people in the UK are aware of the specific importance of ages 0-5.

'21
The Princess of Wales smiling.

June 2021

The Centre for Early Childhood

The Centre for Early Childhood is established within The Royal Foundation to drive awareness and action on the extraordinary impact of the early years, to change lives, improve mental wellbeing and transform society for future generations.

'23
Shaping Us campaign on Piccadilly lights.

January 2023

'Shaping Us' Is Launched

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood launches ‘Shaping Us,’ a major campaign to increase public understanding of the crucial importance of the first five years of a child’s life.

'23
The Princess of Wales at The National Shaping Us Symposium 2023.

November 2023

The Shaping Us National Symposium

The Princess of Wales and The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood hosts The Shaping Us National Symposium bringing together cross-disciplinary leaders, child and adult specialists, and global thinkers for the first time.

'24
Opportunities for Impact - the business case

May 2024

Launch of "Prioritising early childhood for a happier, healthier society" – a new report

The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood publishes a report setting out the business case for prioritising early childhood and announced the first tranche of action to be taken as a result of its work.

The Royal Foundation

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood is a dedicated unit within The Royal Foundation, the primary philanthropic and charitable vehicle of The Prince and Princess of Wales.

Visit the Royal Foundation website

While we work closely with others, we are not a grant-giving organisation and are unable to accept unsolicited requests for funding.