Giving every child the best possible start in life is so important, and something that should be at the heart of Government policy. I was pleased to meet recently with George Hosking, the Chief Executive of the WAVE Trust, to discuss how best we can do this.
Improving the life chances for everyone in the country starts in the earliest years, in the critical period in the first 1001 days of life from conception to age two. During this time, a baby’s brain forms a staggering 1 million (!) new neural connections each and every second, bringing together that baby’s experiences and emotions. It is these earliest experiences that shape the baby’s brain development, having a lasting and life-long impact on that person’s emotional, mental and even physical health.
Maternal mental health also plays a huge role, as we know that a stressed pregnant mother produces more of the stress hormone cortisol which can be transmitted to the unborn child via the placenta. The more stressed the mother, the higher the exposure of the unborn child to cortisol, which can have a significant impact on the baby’s brain whilst it is still developing, including in personality expression, later social behaviour, and our capacity for emotional empathy. Simply put: cortisol can trigger the “fight or flight” response, with the baby’s brain being encouraged to see the world as a more hostile place.
The primary caregiver – usually, but not exclusively, Mum (it could be Dad, grandparents, foster parents, etc.) – is so important in this crucial first 1001 days, and the bonds – or attachment – formed between this individual and the baby are vital. Around sixty per cent of babies in the UK form what is known as secure attachment, where the baby is nurtured and grows up feeling loved and cared for, viewing the world as a fundamentally good place and being well-adjusted in society.
Sadly, forty per cent of babies in the UK do not have this opportunity, and – for a variety of reasons – form what is known as insecure attachment, where the bond with the primary caregiver is not developed properly, leading to many problems in teenage years and later life. At the most acute end, fifteen per cent of babies have disorganised attachment, usually resulting from exposure to several Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) which can include maternal depression, parental substance abuse, witnessing domestic violence, sexual abuse, and so on.
We now know that mental health problems, violence, drug dependency, alcoholism, and criminality are so much more prevalent amongst people who experience a large number of ACEs in their youngest years. This is a lifelong public health issue, with a huge cost to the taxpayer and with the symptoms spreading out across the years, and decades, that follow those earliest poor experiences. Worse, the pattern is cyclical – meaning that the children of people who were exposed to ACEs are more likely than not to experience ACEs themselves; we tend to parent as we ourselves were parented, and it is difficult – but not impossible – to break that pattern.
You may be interested to know that:
- 67 per cent of the UK population has at least one ACE. One in eight people have four or more;
- For the one in eight, statistics show that that person has a 3 times greater risk of lung disease through smoking; 11 times greater likelihood of intravenous drug use; 14 times the number of suicide attempts; 4 and a half times greater chance of developing depression;
- People with six or more ACEs can die as much as 20 years earlier than those who have none;
- Where domestic violence is present in the home, there is an increased risk of child maltreatment. In one study, families where domestic violence takes place were shown to be 23 times more likely to abuse their under 5-year-olds than families without.
I should be clear that there is no suggestion that insecure attachment always leads to terrible outcomes for the baby. Indeed, many insecurely attached babies grow up to lead normal, happy lives, but it is the case that insecure attachment, ACEs, and a difficult start in life makes this journey all so much harder for the individual.
That’s why I was grateful to speak directly with George, an expert in ACEs and tackling childhood abuse and neglect, and to hear more about WAVE Trust’s 70/30 campaign. The campaign’s aim is to reduce child abuse, neglect and other ACEs by at least 70 per cent by the year 2030, and has the cross-party support of hundreds of Parliamentarians across Westminster, the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, and the Northern Ireland Assembly. I am delighted to support the 70/30 campaign myself, and look forward to working with George and WAVE Trust to press for positive change in Government policy in this important area.
I know that the Prime Minister takes this matter very seriously, and I was pleased that he has appointed my friend the Rt Hon. Andrea Leadsom MP, former Leader of the Commons, as his Early Years Health Adviser to lead a review into improving health outcomes of babies and young children. The review will consider the barriers that impact on early-years development, including social and emotional factors and early childhood experiences, and will inform the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda. This has been a policy area Andrea has focused on for years, since before becoming an MP, and I know it is her absolute passion to ensure every baby gets the best possible start in life. I join her in that mission, as we will never truly turn society around and break the cycle until we begin to solve those acute problems that begin in the first 1001 critical days.
Andrea is calling for new parents, including those who gave birth during the coronavirus national lockdown, to give their views as well as healthcare staff, charities and volunteer groups working in this sector. I would absolutely encourage anybody who is able to submit their experiences, which you can do so via the consultation on the gov.uk website.
As ever, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if I can offer any further support on this or any other issue.