their knowledge and who've answered my

questions patiently, whilst I've

interrogated them in my endeavour to learn

about this complex range of issues.

Academic colleagues who've

shown me their ground-breaking research

into the cause of perinatal and postnatal

depression and how they are addressing

these in the clinic;

Those who I visited over the years

who provide crucial links

within the community and who's services

help families with essential parenting

support and guidance;

And other wonderful organisations

which have done so much to

improve support for the emotional wellbeing

of children in their schools.

I could name

so many of you, but I'm utterly

grateful, to you all

for giving you time and your wisdom so

freely.

We all know just how important

childhood is, and how the early years

shape us for life.

We also know, how negative

the downstream impact can be,

if problems emerging at the youngest

age are overlooked, or ignored.

It is therefore,

vital that we nurture children

through this crucial early period.

But as we've heard, at what stage

in a child's development could we,

or should we, intervene

to break the inter-generational cycle

of disadvantage.

The more I've heard

the more I am convinced that the

answer has to be early, and that the

earlier the better.

In fact it would seem that we cannot intervene

early enough.

We do need mental health support

in primary schools before the biological

changes and academic pressures at

adolescence kick in.

We also need a focus on parenting

and family support so that

parents feel able to get their children

school ready and are confident that they

themselves can cope with the mental

and emotional needs of their own children.

We

need to highlight how important it is

to support mothers too,

potentially before they even give birth.

They need to be aware

of how vulnerable they might be

and critically know where they can

find help for themselves

as well for their babies and toddlers

Potentially we could start looking even earlier

by teaching parenting

and relationship skills to teenagers

to get the next generation of parents

child ready, well before

they have to put these skills into practice.

After listening to those

working in this complex area

my own view is that children's

experiences in their early years are fundamental.

They lay the foundation

not only for healthy outcomes,

during their teenage years, but

also adulthood.

Addressing the issues, only

when they take root later in life,

results in huge detriment.

Detriment to the healthcare

education, and social support

systems in our country, but

perhaps more importantly

detriment to future generations

over the long term.

In 2011, Graham Allen,

who I think is here with us today,

wrote a report on government

on the need for early intervention.

I hope Graham, you don't

mind me quoting from your report

in which you refer to the cycle of deprivation

and dysfunction from generation

to generation.

There you said that

"If we intervene earlier enough

we can give children a vital social

and emotional foundation

which will help to keep them happy

healthy and achieving throughout

their lives, and above all

equip them to raise

children of their own"

I could not agree more.

Because these are lifetime issues

they require a very long term

perspective.

These issues are also complex and

multi-sided so they need

integrated collective approaches

to create real impact.

This

is what I am so keen to explore.

We are hear today

because we all believe that every child

deserves the best possible start in life

I have

therefore, entrusted The Royal Foundation

with thanks to the leadership of

Aida, to gather a group of experts

to develop the thinking

in this critical area.

Experts and partners

to build upon existing work.

And to look at developing

sustainable solutions, which will

help deliver our shared

ambitions.

Providing

children in their earliest years

with social and emotional security

we will build strong foundations that

last a lifetime.

I really do feel so passionately about

the importance of early intervention

and that by working on new

approaches together, we can make

a real difference, for generations to come.

Thank you.