In 2019, the government-led initiative “The First 1,000 Days: Where It All Begins” made this issue a priority for public policy. Indeed, it is now scientifically well established that interventions carried out as early as possible in life—from pregnancy through a child’s first two years, during the critical period known as “the first 1,000 days”—are among the most effective in public health. These interventions are what will enable children to reach their full developmental potential into adulthood.

With this in mind, in 2021, Santé publique France and the Ministry of Health launched the first major information campaign on the importance of the first 1,000 days, which continues this year with an expanded initiative and a complementary poster campaign. The goal remains the same: to raise awareness about this pivotal period and promote the website 1000-premiers-jours.fr.

Over 2.5 million visits to the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website

The first 1,000 days are certainly a period of vulnerability, but they are just as much a tremendous period of opportunity for the child: their body and organs are fully developing, and their brain is undergoing its most spectacular period of growth and development. Thanks to the incredible skills they acquire through attentive and warm interactions with their parents and then with others, children can also develop the social-emotional skills that are the foundation of good physical and mental health—both in the short and long term—and that will enable them to reach their full potential.

That is why, in 2021, the website 1000-premiers-jours.fr was created. It offers scientifically grounded information related to a child’s fundamental needs: a healthy and safe environment, appropriate nutrition, and stable, secure emotional relationships. With a caring and non-judgmental approach, the site supports parents of children under two and expectant parents in their daily lives by offering practical, easy-to-implement advice.

The 1000-premiers-jours website features:

• 90 articles divided into 4 sections,

• 25 animated videos, testimonials from experts and parents, and soon 7 videos filmed at maternal and child health clinics,

• 40 Q&As covering the entire first 1,000 days,

• a simple and interactive "In Practice" tool that allows parents and expectant parents to get information about their environment and the items they use every day.

The site now has over 2.5 million visits, with an average time spent of 5 minutes, highlighting users’ interest in the site’s content. Articles related to feeding, sleep, and baby crying are particularly popular.

An awareness campaign for parents and expectant parents has been expanded and relaunched to continue informing and supporting them in this new role and to promote the 1000premiersjours.fr website

To enhance the knowledge of parents and expectant parents and promote the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website, Santé publique France is creating new educational tools and rebroadcasting “Becoming a parent also means asking questions” from September 26 to November 4, 2022.

• A poster campaign running from September 26 to mid-October on screens in shopping malls and large grocery stores to strengthen engagement with the public. These same visuals will be adapted into a digital format, in the form of banners, to reach users directly.

• An explanatory flyer for “En pratique,” a simple and interactive tool on the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website, which offers practical advice related to everyday items.

• The distribution, notably via LinkedIn, of a video presenting the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website. It is intended for healthcare and early childhood professionals—key supporters and stakeholders who guide and assist parents in their parenting journey and during the child’s earliest moments of life. This video complements the posters and bookmarks available for order and download.

The two campaign spots—one aimed at parents, the other at expectant parents—are being rebroadcast on TV, in print, on social media, and on the radio. These spots offer a glimpse into the private lives of two couples reflecting on their child.

The communication campaign also includes:

• The republication of press ads in magazines and the daily newspaper 20 minutes, based on questions that parents or future parents ask themselves and inviting them to find the answers on the website 1000-premiers-jours.fr.

• The renewal of the partnership with WeMoms, the mobile app for moms and expectant moms, with a greater focus on practical advice.

• The partnership with M6, featuring expert interviews airing every evening from Monday to Friday at 8:20 PM, from October 11 to November 4, 2022, has also been renewed with a more educational focus on the challenges of the first 1,000 days.

Santé publique France’s Action Plan in the Field of Perinatal and Early Childhood Health

Since its creation in May 2016, Santé publique France has demonstrated a significant commitment to health in the fields of perinatal care, early childhood, and childhood. As part of its missions to monitor the health status of the population and coordinate epidemiological surveillance, the Agency is responsible for coordinating the perinatal surveillance system in France.

The Agency’s “Perinatal and Early Childhood Health” program is thus cross-cutting and integrates surveillance, prevention, and health promotion. Its approach is population-based, following a life course that begins in the first 1,000 days in order to reduce social health inequalities as early as possible. Santé publique France is grounded in the current state of scientific knowledge, the production of epidemiological indicators, and the analysis of determinants. Finally, based on these foundations, the identification and support for the implementation of early interventions are developed, particularly for vulnerable populations. For example, the PANJO intervention, currently being rolled out in maternal and child health centers (PMI), aims to support parent-child bonding.

Informing expectant parents and parents of young children and raising awareness of the challenges and opportunities of the so-called “1,000-day period” is another key focus.

Santé publique France, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Prevention and numerous partners, closely monitors maternal and child health through various recurring surveys (National Perinatal Survey, National Perinatal-DROMS Survey, Epifane 2021, and the National Confidential Survey on Maternal Deaths).