We all want children to grow up happy, confident, and emotionally resilient, but how can we best support them in those crucial early years? A new project, Happy Little Minds, is exploring just that by bringing mental health support directly into nurseries.
Backed by The Princess of Wales’ Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, this pilot programme is teaming up with leading charities Barnardo’s and Place2Be to help little ones in East London develop strong social and emotional skills from the very start.
What’s Happening in These Nurseries?
Over the next year, two nurseries, Wetherell Nursery in Hackney and Bow Nursery in Tower Hamlets, will have mental health specialists working closely with staff, children, and families. Here’s what that looks like:
- Training for nursery staff – Helping them better understand and support children’s emotional needs.
- One-to-one support – Some children and families will get extra guidance where needed.
- Advice for parents – Simple, practical ways to nurture their child’s well-being at home.
Around 150 babies, toddlers, and their families will benefit, with the hope that what’s learned here can be rolled out to more nurseries in the future.
Why Start So Early?
Any parent or carer knows that little children feel things bigly; tantrums, separation anxiety, or sudden shyness are all part of their emotional world. Science tells us that the first five years are when the brain develops fastest, laying the foundation for mental health later in life.
Yet, while schools often have mental health support, nurseries rarely do, even though:
- Over 90% of 3- and 4-year-olds are in some form of childcare.
- More babies than ever are in nurseries while parents work.
Christian Guy, from the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, puts it simply:
“If we can help nurseries nurture children’s emotional development now, we could prevent bigger struggles later, and that changes lives.”
A Natural Next Step
This isn’t the Foundation’s first move in this space. Last year, they funded a trial helping health visitors spot early signs of distress in babies (like lack of eye contact or quietness). It worked so well that it’s now being used in eight more NHS areas.
Now, Happy Little Minds could do the same for early education—making mental health support as normal in nurseries as storytime or nap hour.
What Does This Mean for Families?
For parents, it’s reassuring to know that nurseries aren’t just about painting and playdough—they’re also places where children learn to:
- Manage big feelings
- Make friends
- Feel safe and understood
And if extra support is needed, it’s there before small struggles turn into bigger challenges.
A Hopeful Future
Launched during Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, this pilot is a small but important step. If it works, it could mean that one day, every nursery will have the tools to help children grow up emotionally strong.
After all, as The Princess of Wales often says, the early years don’t just shape children, they shape all of us.
