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The royal family
mmalinky · 26/03/2023 06:43

But isn't that the point of any figurehead? They use their position to raise issues that wouldn't otherwise get airtime?

It does get airtime though. I didn't read the article but I still know EYs is really important. What's the point of addressing issues without offering solutions?

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 06:54

@Coxspurplepippin no that's not the resources my school uses.

A local parent runs a charity for children & is always organising toy, clothes collections etc. She's being doing it for years.

I subscribe to the FT & Times & didn't read the article because I'm not particularly interested in the royals & their pet projects. I also not interested in any of Williams environmental initiatives. I do think the DOE award is a good thing & the Invictus games but they are tangible projects.

Look it's fine that you're a fan & are really supportive of the endeavour. I'm just saying I can't actually see it changing anything in real life. I'm happy to be proved wrong though.

Coxspurplepippin · 26/03/2023 07:19

I'm not particularly a fan, just a bit fed up of seeing things rubbished pretty much purely because of the person involved - just seems a bit spiteful. You subscribe to the publication the article was published in, but chose not to read it. As you obviously have some interest in early years initiatives, judging by your advocacy relating to your own schools endeavours, I would have thought you may have been interested enough to read the article, so the assumption is you didn't read it because of Kate's involvement. Referring to it as a 'pet project' says it all really.

I do hope the initiative is successful. Imagine the difference it could make.

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 07:50

I honestly don't understand why you are so offended on the behalf of strangers?

I don't read everything in my papers just what interests me. Yes, I'm interested in EYs because I work in education & have young dc. I just don't believe I'm going to learn anything new from Kate. I'm not sure why that makes you so unhappy?

Coxspurplepippin · 26/03/2023 08:16

I honestly don't understand why you are so dismissive of strangers...........

You've not read an article about something that's obviously a subject of interest to you purely because of the individual involved. Not very open minded.

It doesn't make me unhappy personally, but there's an undercurrent of gleefully hoping the initiative will fail, not because of what it's trying to achieve but purely because of who's fronting it. That, I must admit, I find very sad indeed. Every time there's anything in the press about the early years foundation or shaping us, there's threads on here denigrating the whole campaign. On a site created to support parents, particularly mothers.

You may not think it worth while, but have the honesty to admit why. Because you want to see the instigator fail.

blitheringblackberries · 26/03/2023 08:23

You may not think it worth while, but have the honesty to admit why. Because you want to see the instigator fail.

Yes, it's weird it's it. Hard to understand how people can be so crippled by their own pettiness and jealousy.

But what impresses me about Kate is her resilience. She is building a strong team around her and gaining momentum. She dedication to this issue will make change happen.

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:28

I think you are struggling with comprehension tbh.

As I said I'm not particularly interested in the Royals & their projects. Why have you interpreted that as being dismissive of strangers? I have read about this initiative before in the past, it's been a project for years I believe. As far as I'm aware as of yet nothing has changed? That influences my decision to further read about something or expectation of changes.

I don't think saying I don't believe it will lead to any change but happy to be proved wrong is denigrating something?!

You may not think it worth while, but have the honesty to admit why Have I really not made my point clear?

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:30

Because you want to see the instigator fail.

I think you are too invested to understand that most people are ambivalent. Why would I want Will, Kate, Charles etc to fail at something?

I don't understand how this initiative is going to lead to any actual change. Happy to be wrong though & for the project to succeed. Good luck!

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:32

@blitheringblackberries what does the below even mean?
"Yes, it's weird it's it. Hard to understand how people can be so crippled by their own pettiness and jealousy."

blitheringblackberries · 26/03/2023 08:43

@mmalinky because that's how it comes across. You said that she 'doesn't offer solutions' but they are clearly outlined in the article. If you commented on specific aspects of the approach or weighed them up in a thoughtful way it would be different, but you admit to not even bothering to read the article and then criticised its content. That suggests pettiness and jealousy to me.

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:45

But explain why it suggests pettiness or jealously? What am I being petty about & what am I jealous of?

DaphneduM · 26/03/2023 08:46

I will be pleasantly surprised if there are any tangible and measurable outcomes from this initiative. Of course Kate is only engaging with the private sector, she has to keep within her remits. To admit there is actually a crisis generally with children, childcare and early years education is the elephant in the room.

What a shame the excellent Sure Start Centres which dealt with exactly those early years issues, were shut by the Tories. I taught in a very disadvantaged area of the country and those Centres really made a difference is helping parents of young children. Kate and her initiative is just re-inventing the wheel here.

MarquessofPembroke · 26/03/2023 08:46

Early Years are so important they need to take the provision out of the private sector. We need properly qualified, trained and remunerated people leading on care and learning in the settings. In reality we have teenagers as leaders in baby rooms and preschools.

Some years ago there was an initiative to have settings led by people with relevant degrees as they do in Scandinavia and other countries like (I believe) Hungary. However, the government weren't prepared to provide the money to pay professional salaries.

Is that something the PoW could influence?

blitheringblackberries · 26/03/2023 08:47

But explain why it suggests pettiness or jealously? What am I being petty about & what am I jealous of?

I've explained already. It's not my job to teach you reading comprehension skills.

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:47

Right I've just read the article @blitheringblackberries please highlight the tangible solutions in it? I didn't see anything apart from words.

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:48

I've explained already. It's not my job to teach you reading comprehension skills.

the irony 😆

DewinDwl · 26/03/2023 08:49

I do hope the initiative is successful. Imagine the difference it could make.

What initiative, really? What will be the measure of success? What is this campaign going to do, hoping to achieve? How is awareness going to reach whoever is not aware? How is increased awareness going to translate into meaningful action? How have the people in the EY sector been involved in this initiative? Not the people on the pics with Kate - the nursery workers, health visitors, teachers and TAs, speech and language therapists, the playgroup volunteers, the psychologists, the PARENTS? You, as a parent, what are you going to do, to change, after reading Kate's article?

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:49

I mean the article talks about work life balance but says nothing about housing...

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:49

or wage stagnation

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:50

You, as a parent, what are you going to do, to change, after reading Kate's article?

Apparently label others petty & jealous!

blitheringblackberries · 26/03/2023 08:51

@mmalinky

Keep telling yourself that - when you're the one criticising the content of an article you haven't even read

mmalinky · 26/03/2023 08:59

And I'm the one struggling with reading comprehension?!

myrtleWilson · 26/03/2023 09:09

I've c&p a response on another thread - the business focused workstream from the Centre for Early Childhood reflects the lower levels of awareness about how much the 0-5 yrs impact on economic outcomes. The CfEC is calling upon the business sector to do more to create an environment that recognises their skin in the game and invest/change practices accordingly

One of the actions around business involvement in early years development is around business using their voice to support a focus on the impact that employment policies can have on future generations -so one 'ask' of the Centre for Early childhood already highlighted was around the need for organisations to offer fair paid leave - including encouraging businesses to supplement statutory provision. The CfEC also cited the example from the US called "Ready Nation" which has 3000 business leaders signed up to it and calling for UK business leaders to follow suit - I would imagine the task force announced yesterday is similar to the advisory board of Ready Nation linked below and presumably this board will be asked to lead by example in creating a work environment that addresses the need to have that future generation focus - the US version appears to have developed various workstreams - will be interesting to see how the UK version develops https://www.strongnation.org/readynation/about-us

@MarquessofPembroke yes the CfEC does cite early years workforce as a priority for action, and recognises poor pay as one of the contributing factors.

vera99 · 26/03/2023 09:39

Has anyone commented yet about her first trip in the business environment to promote this initiative was to Iceland in a 70 pounds Zara jacket no less - the shop for some of the poorest in our society mostly dealing in highly processed packaged 'food' some of the unhealthiest food around. I'm no expert, but the importance of good diet in the first 5 years wasn't in her treatise for some reason.

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a43416063/kate-middleton-supermarket-aisle-early-childhood-converation/

Kate Middleton Has a Conversation in a Supermarket Aisle to Highlight the Role of Business in Early Childhood

The Princess of Wales shared her views while standing in the aisles of UK frozen food store Iceland.

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a43416063/kate-middleton-supermarket-aisle-early-childhood-converation

MarquessofPembroke · 26/03/2023 09:44

Thanks @myrtleWilson - maybe I should take a look. I'm somewhat jaded ...

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