The Princess of Wales has carried out a number of engagements in London in connection to her Early Years work this week, highlighting the importance of nurturing relationships throughout early childhood and beyond.
The visits to The Foundling Museum and Kinship on Thursday put a spotlight on the experiences of those who have spent time in the care system and the experience of carers such as those who have fostered, adopted, or taken care of extended family and friends, known as ‘kinship carers’.
Catherine was joined on the visits by rapper Professor Green, who is a Shaping Us champion and was brought up in kinship care.
The first visit of the day was to The Foundling Museum, which tells the history of the Foundling Hospital and how it began caring for children given up by their mothers in 1739, who simply could not look after them for a number of different reasons, including poverty or illegitimacy. The Princess has been patron of the Museum since March 2019.
The Princess of Wales visited the Foundling Museum to learn more about kinship carers (Kensington Palace)
During the visit, the Princess and Professor Green sat down with trainees to discuss how being creative has helped them to express their emotions and to own their experiences.
The conversation stems from the Museums current exhibit ‘Finding Family’, which inspired trainees to create poetry.
Catherine then met with a group of adoptive and foster parents to hear about the support they have given to young people who have experience of the system. Talk covered the importance of every child having a supportive and loving network around them and an opportunity to build connections with people that are positive and long-lasting.
Before leaving, the Princess met with Ambassadors and staff.
The second visit of the day saw the Royal and rapper join a support group session for kinship careers run by the Kinship charity. During the session, the Princess heard about the experiences of those present and the vital role they have played in raising a child of a friend of relative and the youngsters’ development.
Sitting on the floor alongside them, Kate listened and spoke with both the carers and the children.
@crownchronicles have you seen the tokens at the Foundling Museum? A heartbreaking reminder of the forgotten history of abandoned children…#history #museumtok #childhood #18thcentury #London ♬ Stories 2 – Danilo Stankovic
This is just another series of engagements that form part of the Shaping Us campaign and there will be plenty more to come.
The brilliant @kinshipcharity helps families across the UK where grandparents, relatives or friends raise someone else's child.
Spending quality time with these families today has been wonderful. pic.twitter.com/0btALGJlxe
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 25, 2023
