The Princess of Wales has announced a new investment initiative after witnessing its impact first-hand on a trip abroad.
Kate, 44, together with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, announced the next steps in a project to bring an innovative observational health visiting tool to the UK on Sunday.
The equipment, known internationally as the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB), is used by health visitors within routine checks to promote infant wellbeing.
The Princess saw the tool in use first-hand when she met health visitors in Denmark in 2022.
The Centre for Early Childhood will now fund the Institute of Health Visting (iHV) to produce a guide to commissioning ADBB and new resources, tailored to a UK audience.
Christian Guy, Executive Director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, said they are "determined" to support its rollout across the UK.
"By equipping practitioners and families to understand what babies are communicating from the very start, we can give infants a stronger voice in early conversations, identify where extra support may be needed earlier, and help families build the responsive, nurturing relationships that we know are so important in shaping lifelong outcomes," he said.
"The more health visitors are trained in the use of this tool, the better equipped they will be to help, which is why we are so determined to do everything we can to support its rollout across the UK."
The Princess of Wales's inspiring work with early childhood
The Princess of Wales's Centre for Early Childhood was established in 2021 as part of her Royal Foundation with her husband, Prince William.
Kate has long been passionate about supporting the early years and is often referred to as the "children's princess" for her sweet and endearing interactions when she meets young ones.
© WireImageAlongside being a doting mother to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, the Princess is often seen on school and charitable visits as part of her official working schedule.
The Centre for Early Childhood works to raise awareness of the vital impact of the years of early childhood, between pregnancy and five.
It aims to achieve a happier, healthier, and more nurturing world, transformed by the approach to early childhood and education.
Kate's sunny return to Wimbledon
Earlier this week, the Princess of Wales greeted tennis fans who queued for hours in the hopes of securing a ticket to Wimbledon, as she attended the fourth day of the tennis tournament.
© Getty ImagesThe Princess, who is patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, then joined stewards to help take payment and hand out tickets to lucky people who managed to gain entry after a long wait.
Kate told two tennis fans to "have a great time" as she handed them a ticket on Thursday morning.
One attendee congratulated the princess on her recent Three Peaks challenge, which she achieved last weekend, climbing the three highest peaks in England, Scotland, and Wales, to raise funds for the Royal Marsden, where she received her cancer treatment.
