The Duchess of Cambridge has released the results of her ‘Big 5 Questions’ survey which focused on the early childhood and children under 5 sector. Dr Xand van Tulleken, along with his twin brother Dr Chris van Tulleken, collaborated with the Duchess early years project.
Writing in The Telegraph, he spoke about his experience working with the Duchess of Cambridge.
He said the royal had “shaped” the project and became an expert in the early years.
Dr Xand wrote, “She’s absolutely through research and data on the early years.
“But, as we have seen, she worked hard to become an expert herself. This interest in the early years will outlast politicians and even scientists.
The Cambridge charity has collected the opinions of half a million people in the UK on raising children under five.
The results showed that parents are increasingly worried about feeling cut off from support, especially in the most disadvantaged areas of the country.
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“If you start talking publicly about parenthood as a member of the royal family, there’s always a risk that people will look and think, ‘Well you’ve got a lot of money and a lot of help; what do you have to tell me about my life? “
Dr Xand also spoke about how the Duchess was effective in discussing the ‘shared experience of parenthood’.
He added: “Whatever your background – and the fact that no amount of money and personnel can ever relieve you of the imperative to engage with and care for your children in the early years.
“In this, she walks the line between not being deceptively humble, but at the same time sincerely presenting herself as someone who is aware of the real challenges of parenthood.
She said: “Over the past nine months, the pandemic has been a worrying time for all of us. We have experienced isolation, loss and uncertainty.
“But in the midst of this crisis, we’ve also seen tremendous acts of kindness, generosity and empathy.”
She added: “Over the past decade, like many of you, I have met people from all walks of life. I have seen that experiences such as homelessness, drug addiction and poor mental health are often rooted in difficult childhood.
“But I also saw how the positive protective factors in the early years can play a vital role in shaping our future as well. And I care a lot about that.
