The Princess of Wales has called for “action at every level” to help to rebalance and restore society’s social and emotional skills as her early childhood foundation released new research on the issue.
In a keynote speech at a symposium convened by Kate to discuss the findings, the future Queen said the skills were the “human wiring we need”.
She stressed the importance of the early years development of children and said those she had met at a “crisis point” in their lives had said for others to avoid their journey, a safe and loving childhood was needed.
Kate’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Kensington Palace has conducted a global listening exercise, involving experts from 21 countries, with the results described as “almost a manifesto for social and emotional skills”, by the centre’s director Christian Guy.
Speaking at London’s Design Museum, which hosted the event, Kate said: “Nurturing skills that enable us to know ourselves, manage our emotions, focus our thoughts, communicate with others, foster positive relationships, and explore the world are just as valuable to our long-term success as reading, writing or arithmetic.
“These skills are the bedrock, not only for helping children to thrive, but also for restoring, protecting and investing in humankind.
“So, to rebalance and restore, calls for new thinking and action at every level. Because the future for our children is something we all build together; through the actions each of us takes every day.”
Kate launched her early years Shaping Us campaign in January, which aims to highlight the significance of the formative years of a child’s life.
The long-term project is said to be Kate’s “life’s work”, which she hopes will influence attitudes towards children in the early years period of their lives.
Before her speech, she briefly met TV presenter Fearne Cotton, a Shaping Us champion, who hosted the event, and she confessed to being “nervous” but “excited” ahead of her address.
She also revealed how her youngest child Prince Louis was being taught in an environment at Lambrook School in Berkshire that nurtured his wellbeing.
Kate told Cotton: “Louis’ class, they came back with a feelings wheel, it’s really good…these are five or six-year-olds, and going with names or pictures of a colour that represents how they feel that day, so there is a real keenness in school particularly to get involved in conversations.”
