Princess Kate has issued a new message on health as part of a project close to her heart.
The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has unveiled a new framework aimed at improving society’s understanding of social and emotional skills development, as part of the Princess of Wales’s ongoing mission to create a healthier society.
The royal has called for a fundamental societal reset, emphasising the need to examine our behaviours and emotions more closely.
In the foreword to the report, the Princess of Wales emphasised the importance of collective action for societal well-being.
Princess Kate has issued a new message on health as part of a project close to her heart.
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Kate wrote: “To create a physically and mentally healthier society, we must reset, restore, and rebalance… that means taking a profound look at ourselves and our own behaviours, emotions, and feelings.
“It means getting much better at acting with compassion and empathy towards one another… better understanding how we can protect and build upon what connects and unites us… and acknowledging that society is something we build together, through the actions we take every day.
“At the heart of all of this is the need for us to develop and nurture a set of social and emotional skills which we must prioritise if we are to thrive.”
The framework focuses on skills that begin developing in early childhood and continue evolving throughout our lives.
These skills shape who we are, how we manage our emotions, and how we relate to others, forming the foundation of our future mental and physical well-being.
The royal has called for a fundamental societal reset, emphasising the need to examine our behaviours and emotions more closely.
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Despite widespread recognition of their importance, there remains a significant knowledge gap in understanding early childhood development.
New research from the Centre’s annual public perceptions survey reveals that 94% of people believe social and emotional skills are crucial for happiness in adult life.
However, a concerning 42% of respondents report having little or no understanding of how these vital skills develop during early childhood.
This disconnect highlights the urgent need for better awareness and education about early childhood development across society.
The new framework draws on expertise from academics, clinicians, and practitioners in human development worldwide.
Rather than replacing existing frameworks, it offers a universal and flexible approach to discussing social and emotional skills across all areas of life.
The initiative aims to address the challenge of complicated language and varying interpretations across different sectors and backgrounds.
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In the foreword to the report, the Princess of Wales emphasised the importance of collective action for societal well-being.
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It spans from early childhood through to adulthood, acknowledging that social and emotional skills underpin all aspects of human development.
The framework seeks to engage a broad audience and create a common understanding of these crucial developmental skills.
Christian Guy, Executive Director of The Centre for Early Childhood, emphasised the critical importance of these developmental skills.
Guy said:”It is time that we recognised and acted upon the undeniable significance of social and emotional skills and give them the recognition they deserve.”
He stressed the potential for profound societal impact, adding: “Getting this right in early childhood, when we lay the foundations upon which these skills continue to grow throughout our lives – could have a truly profound impact on the future of individuals and of our society.”