The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood

Secure the necessities is one of the five areas of opportunity highlighted in our business report. Supporting baby banks is a meaningful way for businesses to make a positive impact in their communities. Here are some practical ways your company can get involved: - Volunteer your time   - Donate products   - Provide storage solutions   - Organise donation drives IKEA are an important member of The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce and were inspired to take action. Last year they launched the SKOGSDUVA collection and between October and December 2024, they donated £1 from each sale of that range to the Baby Bank Alliance. This helped to raise awareness of the impact baby banks can have on have on children and families in incredibly challenging circumstances.  This is a great example of creative, purpose-led action that makes a real difference. Whether it is through workplace policies, community partnerships, or industry influence, businesses have the ability to support parents, caregivers, and children in ways that benefit both society and the economy.  By integrating these initiatives, businesses can play a crucial role in supporting families and strengthening communities. Check out our article on how businesses can support baby banks: https://lnkd.in/e5c_cSFJ

Children have an innate drive to connect and communicate, but they can only learn language through interacting with the people around them. Read our guest essay by Emily Jones, a Professor at the Centre for Brain & Cognitive Development at Birkbeck, University of London, pictured with her daughter, which explores how giving our children the gift of communication is a gateway to the world. https://lnkd.in/e3TFZrEU

She heard the magic words! This month I’m partnering with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to help unpack some of the major concepts in The Shaping Us Framework, an important new document released by the Centre to help promote social/emotional development (linked below). Today’s theme is communicating with others…. beautifully illustrated by this expert communicator, shared to IG by williams.fam.07. Did you know that your child understands language even before they begin using it? Receptive language - baby’s ability to comprehend what he/she hears - begins developing before expressive (or spoken) language. And even as they begin speaking, it’s not uncommon for a child’s receptive vocabulary to be much larger than their expressive vocabulary. What does this mean for you? First, it makes it critical that you speak early and often with your baby. This is how they learn language. It also means that you should never lull yourself into assuming that your baby isn’t internalizing the language you use - or that they are exposed to via media - on the assumption they are “too little to understand.” Babies are always listening and learning. Watch the way this little one’s face lights up when asked if she’d like something to eat. It may not be a sentence she’s ready to utter on her own quite yet, but there’s little doubt she understands (and approves of) what mom is asking. That’s receptive language in action. https://lnkd.in/ekKETdBG

Our business report highlights five areas for impact for prioritising early childhood. One of those areas was supporting working parents and caregivers. There are 4.69 million parents of children under five in the workforce who would benefit from a society that prioritises early childhood. There are many ways to support working parents and caregivers, and it doesn’t always have to involve major policy changes. The report provides numerous examples of different approaches taken by businesses of various sizes. For example, to help parents navigate last-minute changes that can impact earnings or to allow them to take some well-earned time for their wellbeing, Uber is supporting working parents and caregivers by offering its workers 20 hours of free childcare. Providing access to affordable childcare gives parents and caregivers more choice and flexibility in deciding if and when they wish to return to work. It also empowers them to balance priorities at work and at home. Aviva offers ring-fenced leave to fathers, separate from shared parental leave, to encourage them to take time off after the birth or adoption of a child. This initiative is reinforced through storytelling and role-modelling, with senior male leaders sharing their experiences and encouraging others to do the same. This approach has helped shift the cultural narrative around parental leave, making fathers feel more confident and supported in taking time off during their child’s early months. We've also produced "A Beginner's Guide," which might help you start thinking about what you can do: https://lnkd.in/eM8NtJqK

Communication is about ‘give and take’. It’s about how we express ourselves, sharing what we know, how we are feeling, and what we are thinking with the people around us. Whether through conversation, writing, or other forms of expression, being able to articulate what we are feeling or thinking helps us feel heard and validated. And it’s about how we listen and understand others, whether that be a friend messaging information about where to meet up, a partner sharing their feelings about their day or a singer expressing heartbreak through their music. These skills enable us to connect with others, resolve conflicts, and collaborate effectively, which are vital in both our personal and working lives. Communication skills improve our social connections, which enhance our health and happiness. And their foundations are laid in early childhood. https://lnkd.in/e_5BGuma

Share our new powerful short film made by young people growing up in #KinshipCare. 💛 Written and voiced in their own words, they share their experiences and what it means to be part of a #KinshipFamily. 🎬 This film was made as part of our Young Champion’s film project funded by BBC Children in Need which provided a unique and safe space for the young people to share their experiences to influence action and change by co-creating the animation. Watch the entire film on our YouTube channel: https://loom.ly/qKy3Fn0 👀 The project gave the young people the opportunity to create a film to help others understand the conflicting emotions they feel, as well as the highs and lows they face as they adjust to their new lives in a kinship family. By opening up about their own experiences, they hope that this will help other children in kinship care feel less invisible and isolated. Ki, 19, from West London, who took part in the project and who has been living with his uncle and aunt said: “We want the film to raise awareness among children and young people in kinship care who may not know what kinship care is. We also want to encourage the Government to make positive change happen for kinship families. “Kinship children and young people need support, and we want to let them know that they don’t have to face this journey on their own and that it’s going to be ok. “Helping to make this film has been a great experience, it’s been interesting, positive and fun and I am really proud of what we’ve created.” Since 2021 the Young Champion’s Project has brought together young people living in kinship care across London and surrounding areas. Throughout the project, participants have enjoyed a range of enriching activities, including football stadium tours, graffiti workshops and DJ sessions. Dr Lucy Peake said: "We celebrate the achievements of the Young Champion’s project and we remain committed to providing opportunities to young people in kinship care to share their experiences with decision-makers to increase understanding of their unique needs and the lack of support.”

The first five years of life are critical in shaping mental well-being, resilience, career success, and long-term economic prosperity. Businesses have a unique opportunity to drive meaningful change - not only as a social responsibility but as a strategic investment that benefits employees, workplaces, and the broader economy. How businesses can lead the way: - Embed a workplace culture that prioritises early childhood, ensuring employees feel supported as parents and caregivers. - Enhance support and flexibility for working parents, enabling them to balance career and family responsibilities effectively. - Improve access to essential resources for families facing challenges, ensuring they receive the support they need. - Expand access to high-quality early childhood education and care, reducing barriers that hinder both parents and children. - Develop social and emotional skills in young children and the adults who care for them, fostering a more resilient and capable future workforce. The business advantage: Organisations that take proactive steps in these areas benefit from a more engaged workforce, increased productivity, and long-term economic growth. How many of these game-changing opportunities for impact is your organisation embracing?

Children can play in many ways: with adults, with friends or on their own. They can build things, or role-play, they can play games with rules or let their imaginations run wild and get creative. We had a great day with Early Years Scotland who offer stay and play activities which are fun and support children’s development. When children play, they learn about key social and emotional skills including those within the “focus our thoughts” skills cluster from our Shaping Us Framework. They practice problem solving, learn how to persevere with tasks to achieve a goal, they can test boundaries and learn to face challenges. The important thing is that they are exposed to activities that provide a level of challenge just beyond their current capabilities (not too easy and not to hard!), that they take the lead, and that they are encouraged and praised along the way. As Fiona says in the video: “It is a really crucial part of childhood that allows children to learn and grow in a way that is natural, enjoyable and fun!”

This International Women's Day we are delighted to share that members of our early childhood network were able to join an inspirational roundtable with the Royal Foundation's CEO Amanda Berry CBE and several other brilliant women who are all involved with the work of the Foundation. Thank you to Lara Legassick from Babyzone, jane Williams from The Magpie Project and Dr Abigail Miranda from Anna Freud. #iwd

“Between the ages of one and five, children gradually start to develop the ability to focus— i.e., to zero in on a particular task and to inhibit information that is irrelevant to that task.” The science really is fascinating and our guest essay by Sam Wass, Director at the Institute for the Science of Early Years University of East London, delves into the crucial link between our brain development and the ability to focus. https://lnkd.in/eesWsTmB