The babies’ manifesto – a response from the Childhood, Youth and Families team
Date 14 June 2024
In a follow-up to her latest opinion piece for the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network, Dr Helen Simmons blogs about the UON perspective on the Manifesto for Babies that was launched earlier this year.
In Spring 2024, A Manifesto for Babies was published by the First 1001 Days Movement, a coalition of over 200 charities and professionals who believe that babies’ emotional wellbeing and development matters.
The Manifesto for Babies recognises that “the first 1001 days of life – from pregnancy through the first two years of a baby’s life – is a crucial period” and that over the last decade, investment in supporting for families and the early years has fallen.
This Manifesto outlines five recommendations to address this:
- An ambitious cross-government strategy to support babies’ healthy development
- Invest more in prevention
- Tackle health inequalities so that all babies have a good start to life
- Develop a workforce plan for children’s social care and the early years
- A rapid review of the tax and benefits system for parents and carers of under-twos
These recommendations aim to address crucial aspects of supporting babies’ development, from policy alignment and funding to workforce planning and parental support.
Response from the Childhood, Youth and Families (CYF) subject area
In June 2024, Policy, Lobbying and Advocacy Strategy group for the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) wrote a response highlighting their support for the Manifesto for Babies.
The subject area of Childhood, Youth and Families supports the values and strategy embedded into the Manifesto for Babies and the recent lobbying of this by the ECSDN. We agree that, to see a focus on policy and practice for our youngest children and their families is key and the fundamental importance of listening to parents and families as they share their experiences of early care and support is essential.
We recognise that graduates from our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies Degree and Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Infant Mental Health and Wellbeing are particularly well placed to implement this Manifesto due to the holistic and applied nature of these programmes. Head of Childhood, Youth and Families and Professor of Child Advocacy, Eunice Lumsden, was an Elected Individual Expert on the Manifesto for Babies Steering Group and part of the recent launch at Westminster, she highlights that:
“The most valuable gift we can give our youngest citizens is to invest in building solid foundations from which they can flourish”.
Early Childhood Studies is an academic discipline with interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary working at its centre. Undergraduate students and alumni are equipped with outstanding knowledge and experience, and their expertise is essential in advocating for the health, wellbeing and education of all children and their families. Early Childhood Studies graduates bring a unique skill set and expertise that is essential for promoting the healthy development and wellbeing of babies, advocating for the goals and recommendations of the Manifesto for Babies.
We also recognise that the embedded Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies (ECSDN, 2018) which make a significant contribution to strengthening a graduate-led Early Childhood workforce that is responsive to workforce needs and improves outcomes for children complement the priorities outlined in the Manifesto for Babies.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Infant Mental Health and Wellbeing is aligned to the Association of Infant Mental Health (AiHM) Competencies, and it enables students to develop their knowledge in the field of infant mental health and wellbeing. It offers opportunities for engagement in critical debate, learning and discussions regarding key aspects of policy, practice and advocacy for our youngest children and their families.
Students that have undertaken this course play a crucial role in supporting the recommendations outlined in the Manifesto for Babies. Attributes developed through contemporary and interprofessional modules mean that our graduates have expertise in working with families, community engagement, and Level 7 applied understanding of infant and family mental health and wellbeing.
As we move forward towards the General Election in July 2024, The University of Northampton Childhood, Youth and Families subject area looks forward to supporting the aims of the Manifesto for Babies. We also look forward to talking to potential candidates that are standing for election on these important issues, and we welcome continued collaboration regarding our shared aims and commitment to a well-qualified and highly valued professional workforce for babies and families.
Dr Simmons is a Senior Lecturer in Education and co-leader of the ‘Families and Communities’ Special Interest Group (SIG) within the Centre for Education and Research.
Prior to beginning work in higher education in 2008, Helen worked in early childhood settings and as a private nanny. She also taught vocational early years courses at Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges in the UK.
Helen is also Vice Chair for Policy, Lobbying and Advocacy (National and International) for the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN).