The first 1,000 days of a child’s life—“where it all begins,” as noted in the report by the commission of the same name released in September 2020—constitute a pivotal period for the child’s development. We now know that experiences during early life, including those in utero, have a lasting impact on individuals’ physical and mental health, as well as their social and emotional well-being.

The feature “Supporting the Formation of Early Parent-Child Bonds” in issue No. 466 of La Santé en action shares the latest scientific findings on the complex and crucial role of interactions between newborns and their parents. It shows how early childhood professionals can provide support to help establish a quality relationship that meets the fundamental needs of young children.

Emotional security, a basic need for young children

In recent years, various disciplines (psychology, neuroscience, molecular biology, epigenetics, etc.) have shed light on a more precise understanding of how experiences from the earliest age—and during pregnancy—shape the brain’s architecture, influence a child’s emotional and social development, and impact their long-term health. Research has thus shown that negative childhood experiences increase the risk of adult health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart attacks, and certain forms of cancer.

The baby needs to form a secure attachment bond with the person(s) caring for them, which will allow them to grow in confidence and strengthen their ability to cope with adversity in the future. For the baby to benefit from this emotional security, interactions with their “primary caregivers” must be stable, warm, stimulating, and tailored to their fundamental needs. This requires that the parent(s) be sufficiently attentive and available, both emotionally and psychologically.

Establishing such a high-quality relationship is not a given. Several factors can hinder it, particularly the vulnerable situations families face, whether socio-economic or psychopathological. For example, some people, due to chaotic personal histories, are unable to overcome the “developmental crisis” that the birth of a child represents.

Parenting is far from intuitive

Parental burnout is a risk; this stress, which leads to physical and emotional exhaustion and remains a taboo subject, affects nearly 6% of people in France, primarily women. The scientific data presented in this issue challenge social perceptions of motherhood as naturally instinctive and parenting as equally intuitive, and need to be shared.

In response to these potential challenges, several approaches have already been identified to promote high-quality early interactions. The reference document on “attuned care” for early childhood, published in 2018 by the World Health Organization (WHO), offers a roadmap to drive public policies and implement effective programs that provide services to parents and the professionals supporting them. In an interview, neuropsychiatrist Boris Cyrulnik explains that a child’s need for security goes hand in hand with that of the parents; this requires a social structure conducive to family life, offering resources to rely on, such as the “Houses of the First 1,000 Days” emerging in France.

Support to Strengthen Psychosocial Capacities

The interventions spreading across the country take various forms, as illustrated by the three interviews with field practitioners featured in this report.

In Brittany, where the Panjo program is being piloted, midwives and pediatric nurses support vulnerable parents in their homes from pregnancy through the baby’s first six months.

In Aube, the departmental council offers 20 hours of free support from a social and family intervention specialist to help families cope with the disruption caused by the arrival of a child.

In Moselle, the maternal and child protection service has established a structured program for mothers suffering from postpartum depression, which utilizes innovative tools such as “interactive guidance via video feedback.”

All these programs share the common approach of building on the skills of the person(s) caring for the newborn to expand their psychosocial and parenting capacities, by listening to the needs they express without stigmatizing them. Such an approach, however, requires a shift in professional mindset among early childhood professionals, with the aim of emphasizing more collaborative work with families. This shift must be supported by the institutions themselves.