The Princess of Wales delivers keynote speech at Shaping Us National Symposium
The Princess of Wales, alongside The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, convened the Shaping Us National Symposium at The Design Museum in London today.
This groundbreaking event gathered leaders from diverse disciplines, experts in child and adult development, and visionary thinkers from around the world. Together, they explored the intricacies of human growth, cognition, and behavior across the lifespan, with a focus on fostering resilience for the future.
To elevate the importance of social and emotional skills, The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood undertook a pioneering global listening exercise. This initiative engaged experts from 21 countries to identify and document the essential skills in this domain that shape our lives.
The exercise revealed a consensus on a set of skills cultivated during early childhood, which persist and evolve as we mature into adults. These skills encompass self-awareness, emotional regulation, cognitive focus, interpersonal communication, relationship building, and exploration. They form the bedrock for fostering positive mental health and resilience across our lifespan.
The healthy development of these fundamental skills is not guaranteed; they require nurturing from the very outset of life. The crucial groundwork for these skills is established during early childhood, spanning from pregnancy to age five. This period presents a significant opportunity to enact positive change from the very beginning. However, it’s essential to recognize that our social and emotional growth persists throughout our lifetime, and the potential for change remains ever-present.
The Symposium, led by Shaping Us Champion and advocate for mental health and well-being, Fearne Cotton, featured talks from a diverse array of thought leaders. These speakers outlined the scientific, economic, and human rationale for prioritizing early childhood development and our social and emotional growth. Among the distinguished speakers were:
• Professor Jack Shonkoff, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard, whom Her Royal Highness had the privilege of meeting during a visit to Boston last year.
• Sara Rajeswaran, Chief of Staff at Aviva, a pivotal member of the Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, which The Princess initiated in March.
• Professor Robert Waldinger, Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, renowned for being one of the most extensive longitudinal studies of adult life ever conducted.
The event featured a panel of experts who presented and discussed the findings, drawing from their professional expertise and personal insights. Chaired by Professor Eamon McCrory, the panel included:
- Broadcaster Ashley John-Baptiste,
- Clinical psychologist and author Dr. Sophie Mort,
- CEO of the Early Years Alliance, Neil Leitch, and
- Beverley Barnett-Jones, Associate Director of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory.
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