Princess Kate Backs Health Visitor Training
The Princess of Wales Highlights Early Childhood Development in Latest Public Engagement
The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, visited the Anna Freud children’s mental health charity in central London on Thursday to learn more about a new project designed to strengthen the work of health visitors across the UK. The initiative aims to enhance early childhood development by improving the social and emotional support offered to babies and young children.
Royal Foundation Partners with Anna Freud on New Curriculum
Kate’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has launched a collaborative programme with Anna Freud to create a specialised training curriculum for health visitors. The project is intended to equip frontline professionals with updated knowledge and practical tools to better support families during the critical early years.
The Princess has served as patron of Anna Freud since 2016, supporting its mission to deliver evidence-based research and training that improves mental health outcomes for children, young people, and families.
First Major Speech in Two Years Emphasised Early Years Investment
The visit follows Kate’s significant public address last week—her first major speech in two years—where she urged business leaders to prioritise “time and tenderness just as much as productivity and success.”
Speaking at a summit in the City of London hosted by her Royal Foundation, she emphasised that profitability and positive social impact can go hand-in-hand, especially when investment is directed toward early childhood development.
Kate described the early years as her “life’s work,” reiterating that the emotional foundations laid in childhood shape future wellbeing, relationships, and resilience.
“The love we feel in our earliest years fundamentally shapes who we become,” she said.
Meeting Families and Practitioners
During Thursday’s visit, the Princess met families currently working with Anna Freud and the Institute of Health Visitors. Their experiences will help inform the design of the new curriculum, ensuring it addresses real-world needs and challenges.
A Continued Commitment to Early Years Advocacy
The latest engagement reinforces Kate’s long-standing commitment to transforming public understanding of early childhood and promoting stronger support systems for parents and carers.
The partnership between the Royal Foundation and Anna Freud is expected to mark an important step forward in improving the quality and consistency of early years care across the UK.
