Over the last nine months, the pandemic has been a worrying time for us all. We’ve experienced isolation, loss, and uncertainty.But in the midst of this crisis, we’ve also seen huge acts of kindness, generosity and empathy.
過去的九個多月,在這場流行病肆虐期間所有人都憂心忡忡。我們經(jīng)歷了隔離,失落,和不確定。但在這場危機中,我們也看到了巨大的善舉,慷慨和共情。
The pandemic has reminded us just how much we value living in a world where people care for one another and the importance of feeling connected to the people around us.And it’s these connections, these relationships that are founded in the earliest years of our lives.
這場疾病提醒我們,我們珍視生活在一個人們彼此相互關(guān)心的世界,以及與我們周圍的人建立聯(lián)系的重要性。就是這些聯(lián)系和關(guān)系,為我們早期生活打下了基礎(chǔ)。
People often ask why I care so passionately about the early years. Many mistakenly believe that my interest stems from having children of my own. And while, of course, I care hugely about their start in life, this ultimately sells the issue short.
很多人一直問我為什么如此熱切地關(guān)注孩子早期。許多人誤以為我的興趣源于我自己的孩子。當然,我非常關(guān)注孩子們的人生起點,但最終會還是低估了這個問題。
Parenthood isn’t a prerequisite for understanding the importance of the early years.If we only expect people to take an interest in the early years when they have children, we are not only too late for them, we are underestimating the huge role others can play in shaping our most formative years, too.
為人父母并不是了解孩子早期重要性的先決條件,如果期望人們在生小孩之后才對孩子早期產(chǎn)生興趣,那么我們不僅對孩子來說太晚了,而且我們還會低估其他人在孩子最具可塑性的年齡段發(fā)揮的重要作用。
Over the last decade, I like many of you, have met people from all walks of life.I’ve seen that experiences such as homelessness, addiction and poor mental health are often grounded in a difficult childhood.
在過去的十幾年里,我像各位一樣,遇到過社會各行各業(yè)的人。他們有的無家可歸,有的吸毒上癮,有的心理健康不佳,這些經(jīng)歷往往都源于他們艱難的童年生活。
But I have also seen how positive protective factors in the early years can play a critical role in shaping our futures too.And I care hugely about this.Because the science shows that the early years are more pivotal for future health and happiness than any other period in our lifetime.
但我也看到早期積極的防護因素在塑造我們未來方面的關(guān)鍵作用,我對此也非常關(guān)心。因為科學(xué)表明,孩童時期對未來的健康和幸福比我們一生中任何時期都更為關(guān)鍵。
Because as many as 40% of our children will arrive at school with below the expected levels of development;And because the social cost of late intervention has been estimated to be over 17 billion pounds a year.
因為高達40%的兒童在入學(xué)時發(fā)育水平低于預(yù)期水平;而且據(jù)估計,后期干預(yù)的社會成本每年超過170億英鎊。
The early years are therefore not simply just about how we raise our children; they are in fact about how we raise the next generation of adults. They are about the society we will become, which is why I wanted to start a society-wide conversation to hear what people across the UK think about theoo. early years too.
因此,孩童時期不僅僅是關(guān)于我們?nèi)绾螕狃B(yǎng)孩子的問題,事實上,也是關(guān)于我們?nèi)绾闻囵B(yǎng)下一代成年人的問題。這些都與我們將要建成的社會有關(guān),這也是我為什么想發(fā)起一場全社會對話,了解英國各地人民對孩童時期的看法的原因。
I was humbled that over half a million people responded to the 5 Big Questions survey, showing just how much people wanted to talk about this.We combined these findings with national research and a COVID-lockdown survey. And together, this represents the UK’s biggest-ever study on the early years.
讓我感到很謙卑的是,有超過50萬民眾對“五大問題”的調(diào)查做出了回應(yīng),很多人都想談?wù)撨@個問題。我們將這些調(diào)查結(jié)果與國家研究及新冠肺炎封城研究相結(jié)合,同時,這也是英國有史以來對孩童時期最大規(guī)模的研究。
These collective insights are critical. And the questions they pose will help guide our work in the years to come.Firstly, if parents are struggling to prioritise their own well-being, how can we better support them?Secondly, what is at the root of why parents feel so judged?
這些集體意見非常重要,他們提出的問題也有助于指導(dǎo)我們開展今后的工作。首先,如果父母正在糾結(jié)是否要優(yōu)先考慮他們自己的幸福,我們?nèi)绾文芨玫刂С炙麄??第二,父母做出這樣的評斷,其根源從何而來?
Thirdly, how can we address parental loneliness, which has dramatically increased during the pandemic, particularly in the most deprived areas?And finally, if less than a quarter of us understand the unique importance of a child’s first five years, what can we do to make this better known?
第三,在新冠肺炎病患急劇增加時期,尤其是在一些最貧困的地區(qū),我們?nèi)绾谓鉀Q父母孤獨的問題?最后,假設(shè)只有不到四分之一的民眾能意識到孩子第一個五年的重要性,我們能做什么幫助更多人更好去了解這點?
We must do all we can to tackle these issues and to elevate the importance of the early years, so that, together, we can build a more nurturing society.
我們必須盡一切努力解決這些問題,并提高人們對孩童時期重要性的意識,只有這樣,我們才能建設(shè)一個更具滋養(yǎng)的社會。
Because I believe, the early years should be on par with the other great social challenges and opportunities of our time.And next year, we will announce ambitious plans to support this objective.
因為我相信,孩童時期問題應(yīng)該與我們時代其他社會巨大挑戰(zhàn)和機遇一樣舉足輕重。因此,明年,我們將宣布一些宏偉的計劃來支持這一項目。
My final message is a thank-you.Thank you to all the families, and parents, and carers, for the important work you do every single day in raising our children.And thank you to those of you working to support these families and their children, too. What you do takes hard work, commitment and vision.
最后我想說的是一句感謝。感謝所有的家庭,父母,還有護工人員,感謝你們每天為撫養(yǎng)我們的孩子所做的重要付出。還要感謝為支持這些家庭以及孩子們而努力的人們,感謝你們投入的精力,無私奉獻以及遠見卓識。
It is a brave thing to believe in an outcome – in a world even – that might not be fully felt for a generation or more.But what you do isn’t for the quick win – it’s for the big win. It is for a happier, healthier society as well as happier, healthier children.
去相信可能需要一代甚至幾代人才能等到的結(jié)果,在整個世界,是一件非常勇敢的事情。但你所做的不是為了迅速取勝,而是為了大獲全勝。這樣做是為了一個更健康快樂的社會,為了更健康快樂的孩子們。
Only by working together can we bring about lasting change for the generations to come.Because I truly believe, big change starts small.
只有共同努力,我們才能為后代帶來持續(xù)的變化。因為我相信,偉大的改變始于毫末。