Kate Middleton urges workplaces to support parents of young children in Financial Times op-ed

NZ Herald

26 Mar, 2023 02:07 AM3 mins to read

Catherine, Princess of Wales, delivers a speech at the inaugural meeting of new Business Taskforce for Early Childhood. Photo / Getty Images

The Princess of Wales has penned a heartfelt op-ed for the Financial Times, urging employers to bolster their support offerings for staff who are parents to young children.

According to People, the princess’ op-ed discusses the crucial development that takes place in a child’s first five years of life and why more support is needed for little ones and their parents.

Part of the princess’s new campaign, Shaping Us, which focuses on advocacy for early childhood education and teaching people about its importance in society, she wrote:

“As the world becomes ever more complex, we have to invest in early childhood now, as a downpayment for our collective future.”

In a video posted to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram account, the princess is seen talking to the chairman of British supermarket chain, Iceland Foods, Richard Walker.

“You hear time and time again that these soft skills, you know the creativity, the collaboration, sort of the critical thinking, the flexibility, the resilience … You know, these are the things that you’d hear businesses are looking for. And it’s really interesting seeing how actually, so often, the foundations for those skills are built in the earliest years of our lives.”

Her op-ed follows on from the launch of the princess’ Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, established to help find a way to “prioritise early childhood”.

According to the mother-of-three and wife of Prince William, heir to the British throne, 76 per cent of mothers and 92 per cent of fathers in the UK are understood to be facing challenges “in balancing a successful working life with a nurturing home life.”

In the coming months it is intended that her task force will seek opportunities to improve this, co-ordinating a way for this to be carried out across several businesses.

Prince Louis, 4, Princess Kate, Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7. Photo / Instagram, Matt Porteous

In a press release issued by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, chief executive of the foundation, Amanda Berry said:

“We all have a role to play in building a supportive and nurturing world around children and those who care for them, and it is fantastic to see business leaders placing the subject of early childhood at the heart of their organisations.

“Businesses play a key role within society and with their huge reach to their employees, consumer and the wider community, their involvement can have a transformative impact on the health and happiness of generations to come.”