Priority areas for early years action identified to help support young families in Wales

A report from the First 1000 Days programme at Public Health Wales has identified six priority areas for action and says that making small changes to the way that things are done in these areas can deliver a huge difference to families across Wales. 

The report says that creating the conditions for all families to flourish – like safe homes, fair work and income, accessible transport and built and natural environments which are family friendly - acts as the foundations of a society that enables all children to have the best start in life. 

And the research shows that investment in early years interventions pays dividends, with every pound spent on helping families and children in the first thousand days of life delivering a return of between £1.30 and £16.80 in long term savings and benefits to the economy. 

The report, which calls the first thousand days a ‘golden opportunity to build a fairer future’ for children, says that pregnancy and the first years of life are the foundation for a happier and healthier future.  It says that a good start in life informs how children feel about themselves and those around them.  As well as love, care and attention from the most important people in their lives, babies need good nutrition, play and communication to build their brains and bodies. 

It is clear that there are many challenges in establishing strong foundations to reduce inequalities in Wales, with research showing that more than one in four children in Wales are living in poverty.  When babies don’t start with a solid foundation it is harder for them to catch up later on, and as a result they often fall behind their peers, needing more support further down the road. 

On the other hand, making investments in training early years practitioners in areas such as speech and language development, can make a huge impact on children’s communication outcomes – at a much more modest financial outlay. 

Amy McNaughton, Consultant in Public Health for Public Health Wales, said: “The first thousand days is a fantastic opportunity to lay the foundations for a healthy and happy life, and it is important that we take actions to support families in the best possible way. 

A society where all children can be healthy, happy, and develop to their full potential values babies and children. It creates the conditions for families to flourish and makes time for enriching relationships and interactions between babies and the adults in their lives. 

“Identifying these six priority areas for action help us build a clear understanding of the role we all have in creating a society where babies have the best start in life.” 

The report can be found here:

The first 1000 days: a golden opportunity to build a fairer future Infographic