The Princess of Wales paid a visit to children’s mental health charity Anna Freud, of which she is Patron, on Thursday.
The future Queen, 43, was there to discuss the vital role of relationships and connection in shaping babies, children and young people’s future life outcomes.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe visit comes one week after Kate’s moving speech at the Future Workforce Summit, where she spoke of the importance of consistent, nurturing relationships to create the grounded and meaningful environments a child needs to thrive.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageMy passion and the work of The Centre for Early Childhood stems from one essential truth; that the love we feel in our earliest years fundamentally shapes who we become and how we thrive as adults. Love is the first and most essential bond. But it is also the invisible thread, woven with time, attention and tenderness, through consistent, nurturing relationships which creates the grounded and meaningful environments around a child,” she said, in part.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThe outing comes ahead of busy week for Kate who will be welcoming Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the UK. It is also her annual Together at Christmas concert next week.
This visit comes as The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood launches a new programme with Anna Freud, where the charity will create a training curriculum for health visitors to enhance their skills in supporting early social and emotional development. During the visit, the Princess will meet with families who are working with Anna Freud and the Institute of Health Visitors to shape the programme, and discuss how relationships and meaningful connections early in a child’s life build foundations for positive future life outcomes.
Following the session with parents and carers, Her Royal Highness will join a roundtable discussion with mental health and early years experts around trusted relationships in childhood
The attendees, including discussing what practical actions people can take to support social and emotional development in early childhood, by enabling teachers, parents and other professionals to build communities where strong relationships can truly flourish. Experts taking part in the roundtable are Eamon McCrory, CEO Anna Freud and Professor of Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology at UCL, and Professor Peter Fonagy, advisor to the Centre for Early Childhood and President of Anna Freud.
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