UK’s first top 10 research priorities for social and emotional wellbeing of under 5s announced

The UK’s first top 10 research priorities for improving the social and emotional wellbeing of babies, toddlers and pre-school children have been announced, providing a new direction for early years research and investment. 

The priorities have been identified by the Developing Child UK Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) which was jointly led by Professor Jane Barlow (Chair in Evidence-Based Intervention and Policy Evaluation, DSPI) and Dr Michael Fanner (DSPI Associate and Croydon Health Services NHS Trust) and involved a core team based at the Institute of Health Visiting. 

With less than five per cent of the national research budget currently allocated to child-related research, the initiative comes at a critical time for research. Shaped by the views of parents, carers and professional, the priorities highlight the questions that future research needs to address to improve support for young children and their families. 

Professor Jane Barlow said: ‘Despite the vital importance of early childhood experiences in shaping lifelong health and wellbeing, many current recommendations for supporting the social and emotional development of children under five are based on limited evidence.  

‘These priorities provide a clear and nationally agreed direction for the future of infant mental health and early years research in the UK. It also sends a clear message to major research funders of the need to invest in this area.’ 

Top 10 research priorities for under-5s 

The priorities are intended to focus future research on areas that can make a tangible difference to children and families. Key areas include improving support for children who have experienced trauma, developing culturally sensitive approaches to care, and finding more effective ways to engage fathers: 

1. What are the most effective methods of supporting the social and emotional development of babies and children aged 0-5 years who have experienced trauma? 
2. What are the most culturally sensitive approaches to support parental understanding of early child social and emotional development in diverse ethnic groups? 
3. What are the most effective ways to support fathers to develop healthy parent-infant relationships? 
4. What are the most effective methods of identifying neurodivergence in babies and children age 0-5 years? 
5. How can well-baby clinics better support parents to understand and promote the emotional and social development of their baby where there are concerns? 
6. What is the short- and long-term impact of parent-infant teams on the social and emotional wellbeing of babies (aged 0-24 months) and families, and for which families do they work best? 
7. What are the most effective methods of supporting parents and preschool children who are on a waiting list for specialist child mental health services? 
8. How can services better support babies and children age 0-5 years experiencing court proceedings or family separation? 
9. What public health strategies are effective in promoting parental understanding about the importance of social and emotional skills in babies and children age 0-5 years? 
10. What are the most effective home and nursery-based early interventions to support babies and children age 0-5 years with sensory integration difficulties? 

Next steps 

The Developing Child UK PSP will share the top 10 priorities with major research funders, policymakers and academic networks through publications, presentations and research papers. By highlighting these areas that matter most to families and professionals, the partnership aims to influence future investment and practice across the early years sector.