Friday, July 2, 2021

 

We are excited to see the publication of the new evidence brief series titled “The First 1001 Days” by Parent-Infant Foundation.

The First 1001 Days Movement is an alliance of nearly 200 charities and professional bodies working together to campaign about the importance of the emotional wellbeing of babies. Together, they drive change by inspiring, supporting and challenging national and local decision-makers to value and invest in babies’ emotional well-being and development in the first 1001 days, from pregnancy to age two, focusing on promoting early social, emotional and cognitive development.

This series of six evidence briefs set out the case for action in the first 1001 days. Together, they tell the story of why the first 1001 days are so important, describe the factors that are necessary to optimise the well-being of our babies and young children, and explain the current state of government policy and services for families during this period.

 

A critical window of opportunity

At WAVE Trust, we strongly believe that the first 1001 days are foundational to later good health. They area critical ‘window of opportunity’, when the infant brain is particularly susceptible to influences, parents are especially receptive to advice and support, and the developing child is most susceptible to harm from adverse environments.

Find out more about why the early years have such a great impact on the rest of our lives, and what policy and programmes we need to make the most of this opportunity, at our masterclass series here:

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An Age of Opportunity

The first installment in the series, “The first 1001 days: An age of opportunity” explains the science of early brain development. It demonstrates why it is so important to get things right for babies in pregnancy and the first years of life, and that exposure to early adversity, particularly in the absence of nurturing relationships, can have long-lasting effects on well-being.

There is clear evidence that supporting healthy development in the first 1001 days is key to giving children the best start in life. The neuroscientific evidence shows us that the foundations for lifelong health and happiness are laid in the early years.

Find out more about why this period is so crucial and how we can make the most of this opportunity in our 2015 report, Building Great Britons’:

Click here

 

We will be covering more briefings in this series over the coming weeks. Follow our social media channels on Twitter and Facebook to see all the latest articles.