This report by the Royal Foundation presents the findings from a large-scale study to identify attitudes towards bringing up children from conception to five across the UK. Research activities included face to face and online surveys, ethnographic research and the ‘Five Big Questions’ public survey which had over half a million responses.
Key findings include:
- Parents recognise that they play a key role in their child’s development
- Parents tend to underestimate the importance of the early years
- Parents find it difficult to prioritise their own wellbeing
- Supporting the child starts with supporting the adult
- Feelings of judgement have a huge impact on both parents and their children.
- Support networks are crucial for parents