The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood

Our Shaping Us Framework highlights the social and emotional skills that matter most in life. The first skills cluster is all about knowing ourselves. These skills enable us to work out who we are in relation to ourselves, to other people and to the world around us. They are: Understand our own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. This allows us to reflect on, and understand why we feel a certain way in various situations. Take charge of our life. This involves setting goals, making choices aligned with our values, and taking responsibility for our actions. Have hopes for our future. This motivates us to pursue our dreams, creating a sense of direction and fulfilment. Hear from June O'Sullivan OBE and Dr Beverley Barnett-Jones MBE FRSA h.c in this short video. Why do these skills matter for a happy and healthy life? Visit our website: https://lnkd.in/euvhnNhC

A great day at the National Portrait Gallery to see the launch of the first project using The Shaping Us Framework! Today, The Princess of Wales joined children to take part in The Bobeam Tree Trail, which saw them journey through the Gallery using portraits as the basis for a range of activities that enable them to use and develop different social and emotional skills. The trail will run from Tuesday 4 February to Sunday 16 March 2025 and is completely free to take part in. All are welcome – from nursery and reception groups to families with young children, and there are also related activities on the NPG website to enjoy at home. https://lnkd.in/eTmHJq2Y

Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week next week, we're celebrating the value, benefit, and opportunity that apprenticeships bring. Through the Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood's partnership with The Co-op Levy Share, and with the support of IKEA, Iceland, NatWest, and Unilever, we have fully funded over 100 apprenticeships across more than 50 nurseries—helping to train the workforce that supports children and families every day. Bee Whitaker, CEO of Harmony House Dagenham, shared the impact of this initiative: "Thanks to the Co-op Apprenticeship Levy Share, we can provide our nursery staff with fully funded training, helping them grow, develop, and deliver the best care for children. This is a life-changing opportunity for many of our team, and it wouldn’t be possible without this support." By investing in apprenticeships, we can strengthen the early years workforce, giving more children the best start in life and building a happier, healthier society. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e_Ags8hT

Knowing who we are as individuals, understanding our own thoughts, feelings and belief, taking charge of our lives and having hope for the future are all vital to growing up living a happy, healthy life. In early childhood, parents and other caring adults play a central role in supporting the development of these skills, and the others detailed in our Shaping Us Framework. These skills help babies and young children be mentally healthy in childhood and reduce the risk of mental health problems throughout life. That is why it is at the heart of the Shaping Us Framework and it’s wonderful to see Place2Be focussing on it for this year’s Children's Mental Health Week. https://lnkd.in/e_5BGuma

Why should we be prioritising social and emotional development? Evidence shows how being able to understand ourselves, manage our emotions and build positive relationships, help us to thrive. Social and emotional skills support joy and purpose in our own lives, in our families, communities and across wider society. The foundations for this flourishing are laid in early childhood - from pregnancy to age five - when social and emotional development begins. Head to our our YouTube channel to hear what some of our experts have to say: https://lnkd.in/eKa9qsn7

Today, The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood is delighted to publish The Shaping Us Framework. The framework describes the social and emotional skills which start to develop in early childhood, and are important throughout our lives. It aims to improve awareness of and knowledge about these skills to inform action which can create a happier, healthier society. Social and emotional skills shape who we are, how we manage our emotions and thoughts, how we communicate with and relate to others, and how we explore the world around us. These skills help us to build positive, meaningful relationships which are at the heart of a healthy, happy life. https://lnkd.in/e_5BGuma

According to our latest annual public perceptions survey, 94% of people believe that social and emotional skills are important to happiness in adult life, yet over two in five (42%) of the UK population have little or no idea about how these skills develop during early childhood.      In fact, these vital skills begin to develop before a baby is even born. Important development happens during the earliest weeks, months, and years of a child’s life and is shaped by a child’s early relationships and experiences. It is during this time that the brain is at its most malleable and develops faster than at any other time of our lives. These skills continue to be refined and enhanced throughout our lives, but the older we get, the harder that gets, which is why early childhood presents such a golden opportunity to get this right from the very start. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eY-G7SXT

Our Business Taskforce member Iceland truly see themselves as a voice in local communities with a responsibility to try to shift culture. They have committed to change the narrative around talking about mental health. Their mental health training, as part of their partnership with Campaign Against Living Miserably, will make such a difference! Iceland Foods Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation

After lots of work behind the scenes with the wonderful Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), we are delighted to confirm the expansion of the trial of a tool used by health visitors within routine checks to promote infant wellbeing. The tool, known internationally as the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB), focuses on a baby’s social behaviours such as eye contact, facial expression, vocalisation, and activity levels to help practitioners and families better understand the ways babies express their feelings. Last year we funded the first phase of the trial in two NHS Trusts. Following the overwhelmingly positive results of that phase, we are now expanding the trial of the modified version of the tool to eight more NHS sites, which will benefit thousands more families across the UK. The second phase will build upon the findings of the first and will focus on the impact of the tool, and how it is experienced by parents. https://lnkd.in/ezYPEnpn

Play is powerful! It encourages babies and young children to develop the social and emotional skills that help shape the rest of their lives. Read more about the LEGO Group’s mission to inspire, develop and empower children to learn and thrive through play on our website: https://lnkd.in/dM-Fm8WE