Collaboration

We believe that tackling society’s greatest issues can only happen by bringing people together to inspire action and impact. We’re collaborating with people from across the private, public and voluntary sectors, and from all walks of life, to bring about sustainable change. 

We work with numerous patronages, policy and research institutions, charities, early years professionals and members of the public, who share in our mission and actively contribute to the evolution of our work.

Our ambitious goal of transforming society through early childhood will not be achieved by any one person or organisation alone – it will depend on all of us.

The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood

Run by business, for business, the Business Taskforce was created to play an essential role in The Princess of Wales’ work to transform the way in which society prioritises and supports children and the ecosystems around them in their earliest years.

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Business Taskforce for Earlychildhood

Centre Advisory Group

In 2023, an Advisory Group of eight experts was formed to offer strategic advice to The Princess of Wales and provide oversight of the work of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. 

The Advisory Group members have deep expertise in a range of areas including neuroscience, psychology, perinatal psychiatry, early years services and policy development. The group will support the delivery of the Centre’s work in commissioning new research, learning from best practice in the UK and globally, and raising awareness of the extraordinary impact the first five years of life have on future outcomes. 

Find out more about our advisory group

The Advisory Group

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University generates, translates and applies scientific knowledge to close the gap between what we know and what we do to improve the lives of children facing adversity. Members of the Center Leadership Team regularly provide expert advice on early childhood science, policy and practice and played an important role in the publication of our founding report, Big Change Starts Small. 

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The Princess Of Wales meets Harvard academics to discuss new developments in early years science and research

Baby Banks

A third of people cite financial challenges as the biggest issue facing parents and carers in 2023 according to The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood latest issues index. More than one in four families where the youngest child is under five years of age are living in poverty in the UK and one million children are facing destitution. Families are having to make impossible choices between paying the bills, buying food or turning the heating on. The Centre for Early Childhood is continuing its collaborations with baby banks and is encouraging members of the public to donate funds, products and pre-loved items, or to volunteer their time, to support their local baby banks.

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Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales volunteering at a Baby Bank

Working across the sector

In June 2022 we brought together Ministers and senior civil servants from a number of key government departments, along with early years expert representatives, to discuss the broader importance of early childhood development to society.  

This led to the establishment of a permanent working group which now meets regularly and acts as a unified platform for idea exchange and increased collaboration across the relevant Government departments and the charity sector.

Early Childhood Roundtable

Anna Freud Centre

The Anna Freud Centre is working to transform mental health provision in the UK for children and families. Their team provide ongoing advisory support to The Centre for Early Childhood and play an important role in shaping the selection of resources and further reading which can be found throughout our website. Professor Peter Fonagy, Chief Executive of the Anna Freud Centre, also sits as a member of our Advisory Group.

Working across the sector

Tiny Happy People

The Princess of Wales was proud to collaborate with the BBC on the development and launch of Tiny Happy People, a BBC Education initiative providing a range of free digital resources designed to support parents and carers in developing children’s language from pregnancy to the age of five.

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“There has never been a more important time to support the early years, to help make sure that every child has the best start in life. The BBC is proud to be part of a coalition of organisations addressing this issue alongside the Centre for Early Childhood."

— Patricia Hidalgo Reina, Director of BBC Children’s and Education