00:00Parenthood isn't a prerequisite for understanding the importance of the early years.
00:05If we only expect people to take an interest in the early years when they have children,
00:09we are not only too late for them, we are underestimating the huge role others can play
00:15in shaping our most formative years too.
00:19Over the last decade, I, like many of you, have met people from all walks of life.
00:24I've seen that experiences such as homelessness, addiction and poor mental health
00:29are often grounded in a difficult childhood.
00:33But I have also seen how positive protective factors in the early years
00:39can play a critical role in shaping our futures too.
00:44And I care hugely about this.
00:47Because the science shows that the early years are more pivotal for future health and happiness
00:53than any other period in our lifetime.
00:56Because as many as 40% of our children will arrive at school with below the expected levels of development.
01:04And because the social cost of late intervention has been estimated to be over £17 billion a year.
01:12The early years are therefore not simply just about how we raise our children.
01:16They are, in fact, about how we raise the next generation of adults.
01:21They are about the society we will become.
01:25Which is why I wanted to start a society-wide conversation.
01:30To hear what people across the UK think about the early years too.
01:34I was humbled that over half a million people responded to the Five Big Questions survey.
01:39Showing just how much people wanted to talk about this.
01:43We combined these findings with national research and a COVID lockdown survey.
01:48And together, this represents the UK's biggest ever study on the early years.
01:54These collective insights are critical.
01:57And the questions they pose will help guide our work in the years to come.
02:03Firstly, if parents are struggling to prioritise their own wellbeing, how can we better support them?
02:11Secondly, what is at the root of why parents feel so judged?
02:15Thirdly, how can we address parental loneliness, which has dramatically increased during the pandemic, particularly in the most deprived areas?
02:25And finally, if less than a quarter of us understand the unique importance of a child's first five years, what
02:34can we do to make this better known?
02:36We must do all we can to tackle these issues and to elevate the importance of the early years, so
02:44that together, we can build a more nurturing society.
02:49Because I believe the early years should be on par with the other great social challenges and opportunities of our
02:56time.
02:57And next year, we will announce ambitious plans to support this objective.
03:03My final message is a thank you.
03:06Thank you to all the families and parents and carers for the important work you do every single day in
03:13raising our children.
03:15And thank you to those of you working to support these families and their children, too.
03:20What you do takes hard work, commitment and vision.
03:25It is a brave thing to believe in an outcome, in a world even, that might not be fully felt
03:31for a generation or more.
03:33But what you do isn't for the quick win.
03:37It's for the big win.
03:39It's for a happier, healthier society, as well as for happier, healthier children.
03:46Only by working together can we bring about lasting change for the generations to come.
03:54Because I truly believe big change starts small.
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