Are we giving young brains what they need to thrive?

Last week, HRH The Princess of Wales visited the University of East London’s Institute for the Science of Early Years, where I serve as Director. It was a visit that went far beyond the usual handshakes and photo opportunities. We spent real time talking - properly talking - about early childhood development, the science behind it, and the work our team is doing to understand how the earliest experiences shape the rest of our lives.

What struck me most was how deeply she understands the underpinning science. She asked thoughtful, probing questions, the kind that show not just interest, but genuine engagement. And that matters, because the early years aren’t simply “important”; they are foundational. They shape how children learn to regulate their emotions, form relationships, and make sense of the world. They influence how safe they feel, how they respond to stress, and how they build the internal architecture that supports lifelong wellbeing.

The Reggio Emilia Approach and why it resonates with modern neuroscience

We also spoke about her upcoming visit to Reggio Emilia in Italy, home to an internationally recognised early childhood approach that has inspired educators for decades. What’s fascinating is how closely the Reggio philosophy aligns with what neuroscience has since confirmed:

• Children do not develop in isolation.

• Their growth is shaped by the people around them.

• The quality of connection and interaction matters as much as - if not more than - the content of what is taught.

• The spaces children inhabit influence how they explore, learn, and feel.

Reggio Emilia has long emphasised relationships, environment, and the child’s sense of agency.

Modern brain science now gives us the biological explanation for why these principles work. When children experience warm, responsive interactions, their brains build strong neural pathways. When they feel safe, connected, and understood, they are more able to learn, to play, and to thrive.

The Princess of Wales on the Reggio Emilia approach

What young brains need, and what the modern world is giving them instead

Here’s my honest take: We now know, with increasing clarity, what young brains need to flourish. The science is not vague or speculative. It is robust, consistent, and compelling.

Young children need, predictability, warmth and responsiveness. They need slow, steady, repeated experiences, human connection and time to explore at their own pace.

Yet the world we are raising children in is moving in the opposite direction. Instead of slow, consistent stimulation, they are surrounded by fast‑paced, fragmented bursts of attention‑grabbing content. Instead of long stretches of uninterrupted play, they encounter constant novelty. Instead of deep connection, they often get distracted connection, with adults half‑present, devices buzzing, routines rushed.

This isn’t about blaming parents. It’s about recognising that the environment around families has changed dramatically. The pace of life has accelerated. Digital distractions are everywhere. And the early years, despite being the period when 90% of the brain’s growth takes place, still don’t receive the societal attention or investment they deserve.

Foundations for Life - A shared understanding we urgently need

The Princess of Wales’s Foundations for Life initiative sets out something we’ve needed for a long time: a shared, accessible understanding of social and emotional development. It highlights how early relationships, experiences, and environments shape everything that follows. It gives practitioners, parents, and policymakers a common language for talking about what children need, not just academically, but emotionally and socially.

What I find powerful about this approach is that it reframes early childhood not as a niche interest or a “nice to have”, but as the bedrock of lifelong health, happiness, and opportunity. When we invest in the early years, we are not simply supporting children, we are shaping the future wellbeing of families, communities, and society as a whole.

So Where Do We Go From Here?

This is where I’d genuinely love to hear from others. Because while the science is clear, the lived reality varies enormously.

Do you feel that, as a society, we are giving young brains what they need to flourish? 

Are we providing enough time, space, and connection? Or are we unintentionally overwhelming children with pace, pressure, and digital noise?

And on a personal level: What has made the biggest difference in your own child’s early years? 

Was it a particular routine, a relationship, a setting, a moment of support, or something else entirely?

The early years shape everything that follows. If we want children to thrive, not just academically, but emotionally and socially - then we need to take this period seriously. We need to slow down, connect more, and build environments that support the kind of development we know works.

I’d love to hear your experiences, your worries, your hopes, and your ideas. Because this isn’t just a scientific conversation, it’s a societal one.

Professor Sam Wass is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist and the Director of the Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth (ISEY) at University East London.