Sunday 29 January 2023

The Princess of Wales Shares First Glimpse of "Major New Awareness Campaign"

The Princess of Wales offered the first glimpses into her new early years project tonight. Entitled 'Shaping Us', Kate released an open letter revealing she is "delighted" to share news the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood will launch a "major new awareness campaign" highlighting the "critical importance" of a child's first five years.

The Princess continued: "During our very early childhood, our brains develop at an amazing rate – faster than at any other time. Our experiences, relationships, and surroundings at that young age, shape the rest of our lives.It is a time where we lay the foundations and building blocks for life. It is when we learn to understand ourselves, understand others and understand the world in which we live. But as a society, we currently spend much more of our time and energy on later life. I am absolutely determined that this long-term campaign is going to change that. It will start by highlighting how we develop during early childhood and why these years matter so much in terms of shaping who we become. I will be joined by a remarkable group of experts spanning science, research, policy making and front-line practice as well as an exciting group of well-known faces from music, sport and television, to show all of us, why it is in all of our interests to care about this.

"We all need to know the critical importance of our early childhood. They really are years like no other in our lives. I urge everyone reading this, to take the opportunity to learn more about this incredible time of life, to think back to your own childhood and how it shaped you, and most importantly, to ask yourselves what you can do to make the world a more supportive and loving place for our children. Because healthy, happy children shape a healthy, happy future."

The Telegraph reports: "The details are set to be released on Tuesday and she is expected to be highly visible with a series of engagements throughout the week to raise the public’s awareness of the cause". Tonight's announcement was accompanied with two lovely new photos of the Princess visiting a school in London's Bethnal Green and a new clip shared by Kensington Palace's social media accounts. I expect we'll see more in the form of a video or on social media to coincide with the launch. In fact, the Mail on Sunday reports a central theme of the campaign will be "eye-catching videos and social media messages." It's understood Kate will be joined by celebrities and leading figures in sport and media.

Kate wore a green pussybow blouse and her Alia hoops in the new photographs.

In recent days, a number of you have been sharing interesting thoughts on the early years sector and possible directions for Kate's centre. I wanted to offer a little background and touch on the delicate issue of government intervention.

Whilst members of the Royal family are expected to remain entirely apolitical, the causes senior royals support (and subsequent efforts to drive them forward) can and do meet an impasse due to the government of the day's position. A prime example of this was the King's determination over the decades to move the conversation on climate change from words to action. The thorny issue is the reality No 10 is simply not sufficiently investing in early years or in supporting young families adequately. This is especially critical against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis.

Neil Leitch, the chief executive of the Early Years Alliance recently spoke to the Guardian about the negative impact inflation is having on early years care: "We know that early years providers are deeply committed to providing high-quality education to our youngest children, as well as the childcare that many parents rely on – but this alone isn’t enough to pay the bills and keep the doors open. The fact is that the early years funding system in this country is broken and the way in which the government views and treats our vital sector needs an urgent rethink before it completely implodes."

The situation is exacerbated by the fact educators and staff caring for children under five are underpaid and undervalued. I read a BBC article earlier this month about how a nursery in Bath, which multiple families in the area were dependent on, had to close because they could not secure properly trained staff. The nursery director Amy Parfitt said: "People are leaving the industry altogether; there are other flexible work options which we can't have in early years settings. As well as that, other industries are better paid unfortunately because we don't get the support we need from the government with the funding." It is one example of a developing crisis in the sector whereby children are losing their familiar surroundings, friends and nursery staff who have become part of their daily lives. That in itself is deeply upsetting for a child -- the sudden uprooting to a new location. Children are entitled to the highest standards of care, but this is only achievable if those in the profession are treated with the dignity they deserve.

Only in the past week, the Times Education Supplement revealed results of research which found: "Nearly half of children starting school are unable to eat independently, use the toilet or communicate clearly -- but almost nine in ten parents believe their children are ready to start school, according to a new report." Teachers around the country are growing increasingly concerned about school readiness. Early years charity Kindred2 notes this means additional pressure on teachers and already stretched resources, with reception teachers unable to take lunch breaks because many of their pupils cannot feed themselves. A teacher told TES Magazine: "Staff in our school are being pushed to their limit at the moment. Lots of children not toilet trained means two members of staff are having to be released from classes to change a child each time they have an accident."

Last June, Kate dipped a toe into previously unchartered waters when she convened leading figures, such as Secretary of State for Health Sajid Javid, Minister for Families Will Quince, officials from the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Education, to discuss with them the "huge appetite" for improvement among the public. It is a time of flux and uncertainty in Downing Street, with our third Prime Minister in office in a year. The layers to addressing meaningful change are complex and multi-faceted; it will  require real commitment, long-term funding and actionable plans from those at the highest levels of government. We've seen campaigning and advocacy efforts move the dial in other areas previously. I sincerely hope Kate's early years work can achieve the same. With early years I believe there's a general awareness of its importance, it's now a question of directing that toward tangible positive change. 

"The early years are not simply about how we raise our children. They are about the society we will become." -- HRH The Princess of Wales

We'll see the campaign unveiled across several engagements (and I suspect a podcast/interview) in the coming days.

42 comments:

  1. Thank you, Charlotte, for outlining the fine line Kate's Early Years initiatives must balance in terms of the political ramifications of Educational Policy. I hope that her dedication and commitment will help to positively effect change.

    On a less serious note, I think the photo of Kate in the green dress with the three lovely ladies who might be teachers, is her best hair ever! That is a reasonable length for her age and station. Currently, I feel it's just too long and stringy.

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    1. I agree, that hair length is the best on her. I don't think hair needs to be a certain length based on age. However, there are more flattering lengths on Kate than her current. It is too long and really pulls her down. It also just gets in the way on visits. That length in the photo mentioned is still long but has some bounce and is so flattering! I wish she would cut it but ultimately it is her hair and she has said William likes long

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  2. An important initiative, to be sure, and so well-reported on by you, Charlotte, as always.

    I do hope that this initiative pushes for real change in this sector, and that it goes beyond the recent, somewhat floppy (in my opinion), 5 big questions project. I'll be excited to hear about some concrete steps this initiative will take towards greater change.

    - C in Canada

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    1. I agree with you.
      I know royals can't be political and Kate's job about this topic is not easy but I hope to see some concrete actions :)

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    2. I think the concrete actions will come with Royal Foundation monetary awards for charities and organisations Kate and her advisors see are pushing the cause forward.

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    1. Ditto Ali! And thank you so much, Charlotte, for the background information, it is much valued by your non-British readers! Zora from Prague

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  4. Dear Charlotte, and friends & readers of this wonderful blog. For the vast majority of my career, I was blessed to work for an incredibly visionary CEO who believed with his whole heart that it was “people” who made a company successful, not their product or service. And, there began my wonderful working life in the media in Australia, that set our company apart from all others. In my early days I held Senior Executive roles in the Sales side of our radio network, until one night in Sydney that changed my life. I’ll never forget receiving the phone call, “I need to talk to you seriously about your role within the business. Can you make dinner in Sydney tomorrow night?”. That night, I sat with my CEO & Head of Sales, at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Opera House & the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We talked about “people”, and their value to organisations, and the ways in which having the right people in the right roles, would fundamentally change the success of the business. That dinner was in 1999, and it was the greatest gift I was ever given. Just like Catherine, I knew that the early years formed the foundation of who we would become, and my journey into understanding the importance of how both nature & nurture could change the world. I was so lucky that I had a CEO that supported my vision & belief, and I was supported in my quest in helping both find amazing people, and nurture their talent, by an incredible company in Lincoln, Nebraska. There is a saying “show me a child at the age of 7, and I’ll show you the man”. By the age of 7, our traits, habits and motivations for life are already set - and for those of us with children, I’m sure you know what I mean. Your little one at 7, is the very same adult, and the importance of these years for parents, teachers, friends and educators is pivotal in the early years for nurturing & laying the foundation for the years ahead. Like King Charles before her, and her husband now, their work and vision, involving the health of our planet was visionary. I remember the sceptics that laughed at King Charles and his belief in organic farming, sustainable manufacturing & the critical impact that industries were having on the survival of species and our flora & fauna. And, look at us now, nearly 50 years after he planted those seeds of vision, and he was so completely right - and now William will follow his pathway, with EarthShot in the years to come. The King, and Catherine now, did not tiptoe with the Government of the day, and I admire both of them as they negotiate this pathway between Monarchy & Government, as they help lay the seeds of foundation for these incredibly important topics. I did note in the last couple of posts that several readers made comments, and shared their frustrations regarding Catherine’s work with her Early Years passion, and whether anything would come from it. And, as Charlotte has written, support from Government will be critical. I am grateful for her focus in this area … what a wonderful team she & William will make in the years ahead. They are deeply committed to matters that are so important to the future of our countries, our children and our planet. I couldn’t be prouder of them both, and I can’t wait to see where her passion & vision takes us. I am hopeful that the family troubles can be mended in the years ahead, as combined they have an incredible platform to do great things together. I am SO proud of our new Princess of Wales! What a shining star she is! Love to you all from Australia. Dee xx

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    1. As a retired nursery teacher, I agree with everything you, and Charlotte, and the Princess of Wales, say. More power to her elbow!

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    2. Dee, what a lovely comment, thank you!

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    3. wishiwereinlondon30 January 2023 at 00:11

      Dee—was the company in Lincoln, Nebraska, GPN Educational Media? They put out some great media.

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    4. Hi wishiwereinlondon, no it was a wonderful company called Talent+. I loved spending time with their amazing people. I was blessed to work together with them for almost 20 years.

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    5. So well written Dee! and totally agree with all you have written here. Sue in WA

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  5. I have to admit I am slightly disappointed that it is another awareness campaign. I understand that the royals have to tread a fine line and that the current political instability doesn’t make it any easier, but I do think if Kate looks at some of the things the Princess Trust did, then there are more concrete ways that they can also become involved, without getting to close to politics. Earthshot is another great example of how you can work around the restrictions of being a royal.

    I would hate to see the Center of Early Childhood getting stuck in just raising awareness.

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    1. William and Kate have said their public visits will not just be to look and raise awareness, but to see how funding from their Foundation has been used for good. When their visit is described as "learning", i'm sure part of the learning is finding out if this is a project worth their financial support.

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    2. I had the same thought. I hope this campaign and away days will result in concrete change, not just photos. What about the Foundation investing in early childhood education by providing scholarships or grants to educate teachers? Something like that.

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  6. Great campaign, I can't wait for more. But I don't know, I have the feeling I read more and more criticism about C&W. The raising costs here and other stuff is depressing and they visit the food bank only for photos etc. It's hard to read social media oder the comments on news article if everyone is just mad /angry. I personally don't enjoy reading about the family anymore.

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    1. How do you know they visited only for photos? Should they carry bags and boxes?

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    2. Orange County Grandma30 January 2023 at 02:22

      They don’t need extra photo shots. I am so mad at these people who say W&C did not take groceries..How does these people know. I don’t know but they usually use their foundation to give, not carrying bags of groceries to a food bank

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    3. We don't know if they donated, but I think they could use smarter "arrangers." It's the little extras that I'm sure W&K would appreciate. Just gives people less to complain about and makes it all relatable. I wish they would hire me! :) I would have their detail pick up the donated groceries from a store AND free cartons of Duchy foods. Maybe include a donation from W&K and the people working for them. Workplace donations are another source. Instead of making K&W instant sorters, which must be uncomfortable. let the director explain where the food W&K delivered will go and why. Let W&K put out a little zoom later to encourage every person and company to give. Let people relate to Kate giving personal jars and tins and then food from her "royal company" source.

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  7. Valerie in Arizona29 January 2023 at 14:11

    Very well thought out, very well expressed post Charlotte. We can but try against huge odds but as Voltaire once said “No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” The Princess has proven she herself is in it for the long haul. And “long haul” it is. I was a single mom in Teddington Middlesex in 1980; I was lucky enough to get my infant daughter into a crèche in Strawberry Hill Twickenham where the wonderful staff there not only lovingly looked after my daughter—and so many other little ones—but also counseled and supported me and other parents in becoming good parents. Because of my circumstances my daughter spent a lot of time in daycare centers in Canada, I owe a lot to those wonderful carers/teachers/friends. And it says a lot that even though my grandchildren had two parents, my daughter had the luxury of being able to work at home, her memories of her early experiences were so good that she and her husband allocated funds for and sent all four of her children to preschools when they turned 3 here in Arizona.

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  8. I'm going to see what the PR work does to help. The message is good but the fact that some staunch fans are confused or underwhelmed is not good. I don't know the target audience and what move that audience should make, which is not a good campaign. And sometimes a little goes a long way. Bringing lunch to daycare workers would sweeten the visit, for example. I was frustrated trying to find information on the finalists of Earthshot -- wonderful prize that is not funded by donors instead of the foundation, but there should have been more concrete information on the inventions, including the nonfinalists. I don't criticize the message.

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    1. wishiwereinlondon29 January 2023 at 22:06

      There is extensive information about the Earthshot winners and finalists on the Earthshot website.

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  9. Thank you Charlotte for this interesting post.Catherine is great in everything she does. She really is an inspiration!

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  10. Anon 10:10, social media can be deadly. I read several legitimate newspapers from around the world, read a few blogs like this for fun, often skip the comments and that is it. Ali

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  11. Honestly ,I love Kate and don’t get me wrong. But I don’t understand the goal of this project coz everyone all around the world already know how important early years are in shaping adulthood. My child went to preschool 5 years back and their curriculum gave a lot of focus about how essential the early years is.
    So how is Kate’s project going to help anyone? I really wish with her position she can do something more worthwhile.

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    1. I respectfully disagree with your comment that everyone around the world knows how important the early years are. You know it, and I know it because somewhere along the way we have been educated about it and have been lucky enough to find/afford/qualify for resources for our children. But as Charlotte so clearly states in this post, there is a documented crisis happening with our children, so obviously not everyone is aware of the importance or able to find the resources they need. Charlotte states:

      “Only in the past week, the Times Education Supplement revealed results of research which found: ‘Nearly half of children starting school are unable to eat independently, use the toilet or communicate clearly -- but almost nine in ten parents believe their children are ready to start school, according to a new report.’”

      It sounds to me like raising awareness and buy-in is very much needed. That’s always the first step. I’m very curious to see what that initiative will look like and from there, what concrete advice/resources people will be given to follow through with getting their children what they need.

      Kim in Saratoga

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    2. I agree with Kim. We all say we know how important those years are. But how important is it for us, grown-ups that children, all children, not only ours, have the opportunity to live an happy and healthy early childhood? How important is it for society, for public opinion, how much pressure is put on politicians, what resources, what percentage of our taxes are we ready to pay for those children? I don't think it is (yet) a question that would gain voters to a party. I don't think it is top of the list for most people. Knowing about it doesn't mean people think it is an important problem.

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    3. I am in agreement with Kim in Saratoga, there is clearly a crisis with our children, and I don't think it's that everyone doesn't know the importance of early years, it's that many don't have the access to some critical programs that can assist them, and others who if it somehow doesn't affect them or isn't a part of their life, then there is apathy. For those of us who have jobs and means, it is sometimes us who fail to understand that there are a larger number who are living hand-to-mouth, day-to-day just to make ends meet. Early childhood development is a very complex problem that crosses social, cultural and political morays, and in most municipal/federal situations, they are the programs that are the first to get cut and the last to get funded. I applaud Kate in her venture into this area to make a 'long-term' change and in a diplomatic way with a very tactful "it's not going away, and neither am I" kind of attitude.

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    4. 100% agreement with Kim. I work with K-3 childhood literacy. People do not understand the depth of the situation. It is only now that business are becoming concerned about the future work force. The prior statistics were just numbers. It takes the right information, moment and sponsor for businesses and politicians to "listen" and act. Catherine's work hopefully creates and maintains momentum, results will not be measurable for years. In childhood literacy, we know that if a child can't read on grade level leaving 3rd grade, that child will not catch up. Illiteracy is a direct predictor of future poverty and youth incarceration.

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    5. When I worked years ago at the Harvard Business Review, there was an on-campus daycare that was, I heard, a model of everything to do right. The university subsidized the cost, and they incorporated all the latest data on meaningful care. The teacher:child ratio was admirable. I live in a small Texas town today and I see desperate mothers with children sometimes as young as 2 weeks trying to find any place to leave their child. What care will such a child receive from a "teacher" whose only qualification is being at least 18 years old and has several newborns to care for? This "teacher" is paid $9 or $10 an hour. My supervisor, who lives in Colorado, was taking her child to a facility with a good ratio -- until it was discovered that the owner kept many of the children under the floorboards so she would pass inspections! (This was in the news, too.) It's crises like these that need a remedy, at least in the US.

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  12. Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Kate (and team) previously publish/build a website devoted to early years resources and open to schools/caregivers/educators? And I feel like people on here in that field looked at it and said it could be very helpful? It’s not the same as going around gifting every day care/child care center a million dollars(or pounds) to make improvements and hire exceptional staff (which I feel like might be the only action that would please some people(not necessarily readers here)), but it was a tangible, sustainable tool for people.

    In light of what Charlotte explained above (which was an excellent reminder of the limitations the RF has on issues), I am hoping something like that website would again be part of the ‘raising awareness’ campaign.

    And, I would love to see Kate somehow partner with or incorporate food insecurity with early years awareness. There are a large number of children that only have one guaranteed meal a day, which is via school and that is not limited to just lower income areas.

    Also, I can see how the visit to the food pantry could just look like a photo op, but having volunteered at a food pantry, in order to become a regular volunteer, you had to do an actual training. For just drop in volunteers (ie, the visit last week or something like a one time visit from a scout troop), they would be assigned those general, not a lot of thought sort of tasks that are not super involved. I was surprised though at the amount of nasty comments I read about the visit, especially since multiple other members of the RF and government have done similar visits. Maybe just a perfect storm of timing in the country’s crisis and of the publishing of Spare?

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    1. So impressed by Kate’s work and devotion - that’s a real powerhouse organization she created there! No doubt there will be lasting changes made that give children - and childcare and it’s teachers and professionals -equal due in society, at last!!

      I use this blog for a decade or more for periodic news on Kate’s doings, because she is so uplifting. If only in America, we had such role models who make it their job to help others. And who like her and King Charles, show the way forward to positive change and a higher standard of human - specifically early childhood education and ecology. We lack leadership and models such as her!

      Bravo, Kate!

      P.S. I notice a difference in the comments from years of reading them- of ever-so-slight downgrading comments toward Kate and or her work. Be-so-nice but stick in the doubts, unnoticed yet effective. Please be aware as you read the comments that this possible little game is likely to be happening at this point in time. See if the comments affect how you feel, and then evaluate that.

      We must remember to honor good leaders as they are far and few between.

      Deborah Sundahl Montana USA

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    2. @Deborah, I don't agree with your last point. Surely Royals do a lot of good (I am, for example, a fan of Wiliam's Earthshot program, and I do appreciate Kate's efforts and work on childhood) and we should appreciate that. But we don't always 'have to' honor whatever they do, we can also have doubts or critics.
      I seriously doubt that some negative comments on this blog, which seems generally a very nice environment to me (probably also thanks to Charlotte's work at moderating), could be part of a 'little game' being played to willingly downgrade Kate and convince people to dislike her. Couldn't it just be that people have their own opinions and doubts?

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    3. I think any change in tone of comments is tempered by a realization of how the system works with a simultaneous realization that there is zero room to "make waves." I have my personal thoughts as a 100% H&M fan, but I need to understand how little freedom is given to W&K. I'm trying to say this in a compassionate but realistic way and not doing a good job of it!

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    4. Deborah, I feel the same about some negative repetive comments. First claiming she doesn't do enough, she isn't seen, then questionning her motives, calling her visit to a food bank a PR operation, stating she could do more, asking why doesn't she do so and so, now her early years project is branded shallow, nothing new, worthless, a photo op. Robbi those are not simple doubts and opinions, it looks like a pattern, and it is downgrading.

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    5. From what I understand from Kate's speech, we are asked to develop more awareness about our roles towards children. She is not asking for funds or anything like that. Her work goes deeper than this, il questions everyone of us about our attitudes towards children and towards our own internal child. And that is a major change she is asking for, and it will take generations I think.

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    6. @Natacha, maybe I don't see this because I am not in the UK and I don't usually read the British press (or any coverage in general regarding the RF except for this blog and some random BBC news posts). I was only referring to the comments in this blog, and I do not see any scheme in them, just different people thinking different things. And like Allison wrote, it is understandable if people have doubts and question more things than before, due to the revelations in H&M documentary, and in Harry's book.
      I must admit I do not read all the comments - so I could be wrong of course - although I surely hope I am not.

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  13. I have an awareness of the devotion to all of the Prince and Princess of Wales endeavours. I would like them now to get on with it all, whom they join, sit at the table with, and support. On another subject, again her hair length has been mentioned, and I note always being pushed back behind her ears. It is very nice when ....it is all collected and styled together ,especially considering she is now in her 5th decade.

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  14. I am curious about what Kate is trying to accomplish with raising awareness? People who have the means to provide a good life for their children do so, for years 0-5. I don't think that these people are the target of Kate's campaign - they are aware, like most readers of this blog. Those who cannot provide a good life, access to good schools, education, childcare, are not able to do so because they don't have the means. Even if they have awareness on why early childhood is important, they don't really have a lot of choice in what resources they provide their children. Is a single child's life going to be improved through this awareness campaign? I would love to learn from experts here as to how that will be achieved.

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  15. its very important part of a child with early year shapes us to adulthood

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  16. The Princess is focused and doing a fine job. I appreciate her efforts.

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