In continuing her early years work, The Princess of Wales has said we must ‘build a more loving, empathetic, and compassionate society together’.
The Princess’ comments come as she has written the foreword for the the Centre for Early Childhood‘s Shaping Us Framework, which is aimed at increasing awareness of these soft or life skills to inspire action across society.
The Duchess of Cambridge has long worked in the early years sector, looking to support mental health and children’s development (Kensington Palace)
Acknowledging the complexities of modern society, Catherine remarks that ‘it can feel like the world is filled with mistrust and misunderstanding, leaving many people feeling isolated and vulnerable during difficult times.’
She highlights the consequences of these challenges, stating, ‘the impact of this – poor mental health, addiction, and abuse – can be devastating, both for individuals and for society as a whole.’
To address these deep-rooted issues effectively and create a physically and mentally healthier society, she asserts the need to ‘reset, restore, and rebalance,’ calling for a collective investment in humankind.
The Princess of Wales conducting an engagement around the early years and kinship. (Kensington Palace)
Catherine further explains that human beings thrive when surrounded by love, safety, and security. ‘We thrive when we are connected to one another; when we feel like we belong, feel seen, heard, and accepted for who we are,’ she notes. This requires self-reflection on our own behaviours, emotions, and feelings.
She underscores the importance of acting with greater compassion and empathy towards one another, fostering stronger and more meaningful relationships that bring purpose to our lives.
27/09/2023. Sittingbourne, UK. The Princess of Wales joins a family portage session at a local specialist centre in Sittingbourne, Kent to highlight the importance of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. The session was run by the Kent Portage Team. Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
Central to the framework is the identification of thirty essential social and emotional skills, organised into six groups:
- Know Ourselves: Fostering self-awareness and understanding one’s identity.
- Manage Our Emotions: Developing the ability to process and regulate emotions effectively.
- Focus Our Thoughts: Enhancing concentration and cognitive control to navigate daily tasks.
- Communicate with Others: Building effective interpersonal communication skills.
- Nurture Our Relationships: Cultivating healthy and meaningful connections with others.
- Explore the World: Encouraging curiosity and engagement with the surrounding environment.
Today, we are delighted to announce the publication of The Shaping Us Framework to help give social and emotional skills the greater priority they deserve, to support The Princess of Wales’ mission of creating a happier, healthier society. https://t.co/F1PuCNAb6G#ShapingUs pic.twitter.com/s9DT5zatRv
— The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood (@Earlychildhood) February 2, 2025
These groups are designed to provide an accessible approach to discussing social and emotional skills, aiming to inform and inspire action across society.
The framework’s development involved a global listening exercise, engaging academic, clinical, and practitioner experts to build consensus on universally relevant skills across diverse socioeconomic and cultural contexts. The goal is to give social and emotional skills the greater priority they deserve and to encourage organizations across the UK to integrate the framework into their work, supporting the mission of creating a happier, healthier society.
The Princess of Wales met with health visitors and new mums during a visit in June 2023. (Royal Family)
It is hoped the Shaping Us Framework will be used to inform conversations, like those between early years practitioners and a parent, help design and deliver campaigns and programmes on a range of topics, from young people’s mental health to corporate leadership, and support organisational development like recruitment processes and human resources activities.
To mark the publication of the framework, The Princess will attend an event showcasing the first project based on its principles. This will be her fourth public engagement of the year as she gradually resumes her royal duties following her cancer treatment last summer.
