Day 1
The Duchess of Cambridge has been in Denmark to learn about the Danish approach to early childhood development and to explore how The Centre for Early Childhood can take learnings from this world-leading work.
On the first day of the trip, Her Royal Highness focused on the earliest stages of an infant’s development as she visited the Copenhagen Infant Mental Health Programme (CIMPH) at the University of Copenhagen.
The programme promotes the importance of mental wellbeing and relationships between infants and their parents. The Duchess met health visitors and families involved in the programme’s research.
At the Children’s Museum Her Royal Highness learned about the Understanding Your Baby Project, an educational parenting programme which helps health visitors develop their language and vocabulary around emotional and social development.
Her Royal Highness then visited the LEGO PlayLab at the University of Copenhagen. The Duchess got stuck in with their creative play and experimental learning approach, Her Royal Highness also met families, staff and students training to become early years professionals.
Day 2
On the second of her trip The Duchess of Cambridge continued her exploration into early-years development, with a focus on children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Her Royal Highness visited Stenurten Forest Kindergarten in Copenhagen where she found out about how they use the outdoors to help build children’s confidence, self-awareness and strengthen relationships.
The Duchess got involved with log splitting, a wing-friend run and yoga, just some of the activities children at the Kindergarten enjoy.
That afternoon, Her Royal Highness visited Amalienborg, the home of the Danish Royal family, where she was received by The Queen and Crown Princess of Denmark.
Queen Margrethe II is The Queen’s third cousin and has been Denmark’s reigning Monarch since 1972, making this year her Golden Jubilee year!
Joined by The Crown Princess, The Duchess then visited The Danner Crisis Centre, a domestic violence shelter for women and children. Here The Duchess and The Crown Princess heard how early childhood trauma can impact later life outcomes and how supportive relationships, environments and experiences are vital to children and families who have experienced trauma.
