On Thursday, November 27, 2025, The Princess of Wales made a special visit to Anna Freud’s office, marking a significant milestone in the development of a groundbreaking project. This initiative, a collaboration between The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and Anna Freud, aims to revolutionize the way we support the social and emotional growth of our youngest citizens. The project’s primary goal is to empower health visitors and those who work alongside them, providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster strong relationships with babies and young children. This is a crucial step towards ensuring that every child has the foundation they need to lead a happy and healthy life.
The Centre has commissioned Anna Freud to create a comprehensive workforce development program, in partnership with The Institute of Health Visiting. This program will be a powerful tool, drawing from the Centre’s Shaping Us Framework, which can be found at https://centreforearlychildhood.org/our-work/research/the-shaping-us-framework/. It will be grounded in evidence, practitioner insights, and the invaluable experiences of parents. By doing so, it will provide a solid foundation for health visitors and early years workers to build upon, ensuring their vital role in supporting parent-baby relationships is recognized and supported.
During her visit, The Princess of Wales had the opportunity to meet with parents and caregivers who are actively involved in shaping this project. She also engaged in a meaningful conversation with Professor Eamon McCrory, the charity’s Chief Executive, delving into the transformative impact of Anna Freud’s work. Professor McCrory shared insights on how Anna Freud’s approach, which leverages science, collaboration, and clinical innovation, is revolutionizing mental health care for babies, children, and young people. This visit came on the heels of The Princess’s inspiring speech at the Future Workforce Summit, where she emphasized the profound impact of consistent and nurturing relationships in creating the stable and meaningful environments that children need to flourish.
This initiative is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of recognizing the vital role that health visitors and early years workers play in shaping the future of our children. By bringing together experts like Anna Freud and The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, we are taking a significant step towards ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life.