PROMOTING THE
1001 CRITICAL DAYS
AROUND THE WORLD

Put simply, we want to make the world a better place. We are confident that if every baby were to experience their best start in life, then this would deliver positive change in the world for future generations. We will drive this change by promoting the importance of the 1001 critical days globally.

CHAMPIONING THE 1001 CRITICAL DAYS

The science is clear: The 1001 critical days are when the building blocks for lifelong emotional and physical wellbeing are laid down. While this biological fact is universal, countries worldwide are at different stages in recognising and addressing this critical period.

With over a century of combined experience across public policy, early development, clinical care and research, our team brings deep expertise and longstanding advocacy to this vital field. Our advocacy work shares decades of insight and best practice with policy makers and support services around the world.

WHY PARTNER WITH US?

Our team has a combined total of over 100 years of experience working in public policy, early development and at the highest levels of government and finance.

Together, we have worked from the highest levels of politics to delivering frontline services for babies in the NHS and charity sector. This gives us a unique perspective on how we can achieve the biggest impact for babies.

Former UK Prime Minster, Rishi Sunak, recognised our Founder’s pivotal role in developing and implementing the government’s vision for ever baby to have the best start in life.

Now, we're sharing our learning around the world.

1001 Parliamentarians across the world - Critical Days Declaration

We're uniting 1001 cross party parliamentarians from across the world to sign our declaration: 'We believe that every baby should experience the best start in life'. If you are a parliamentarian committed to early development, then please join this growing movement!

The Speaker of the UK House of Commons signed the first declaration to pledge his support to our campaign.

PARTNER COUNTRIES

In our first year we are focusing on building partnerships with three countries where there is a strong commitment to improving outcomes for babies. These are Norway, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Africa.

Norway

Norway already has its own 1001 days movement and there is strong interest from its Government in developing its policy on early childhood education and healthcare.

The United Arab Emirates

The UAE has a rapidly growing economy with a strong emphasis on healthcare. It is also increasingly recognising the importance of early childhood development and this policy areas is of particular interest for their Royal Family.

The UAE government has launched a National Family Policy and the Ministry of Family was created in 2024. The new policy focuses on parenting and mental health andincludes a programme to reduce children’s screen time.

South Africa

There is much potential for the 1001 Critical Days Foundation to work with organisations in South Africa to help develop a 1001 critical days framework. The country faces significant challenges in the early years space including high infant mortality rates, poor nutrition and limited access to healthcare, especially in rural areas.

However, the South African President has made early years a priority for his G20 Presidency as this is particularly evident from his speech on early childhood.

International Journal of Birth and Parenting Education

The International Journal of Birth and Parent Education translates the latest research about pregnancy, birth, and early parenting into practice. It is written for practitioners – the people who support parents during the 1001 critical days. By helping practitioners grow in knowledge, skill, and confidence, the Journal makes a meaningful difference to the lives of babies and their families.

For over 13 years, the Journal has built a proud legacy of sharing insights, research, and best practice from around the world.

We are delighted to share that from September 2025, the International Journal of Birth and Parent Education will be joining the 1001 Critical Days Foundation.

We are excited to continue the Journal’s tradition of publishing high-quality, impactful content, and we are committed to strengthening its reach and influence for the benefit of practitioners and the babies they serve.

Find out more about the Journal and subscribe below.

WORK WITH US

We collaborate with partners who share our passion for ensuring every baby experiences the best start in life. This includes parliamentarians, charities, researchers, policy makers and practitioners elevating the importance of the 1001 critical days worldwide.