The Évane study will be conducted from mid-September to mid-December 2024, and its findings will provide a better understanding of certain aspects of the lives of parents of young children. Improving our understanding of population-level health determinants helps guide public policy in this area.

Unprecedented data…

The Évane study is part of Santé publique France’s “First 1,000 Days” strategy: the period from pregnancy through the first two years of life is critical for the development and health of the child and the adult they will become. This strategy aims to influence environments to make them more conducive to child development, emphasize the quality of parent-infant interactions, and reduce the impact of negative experiences and adverse environments.

To understand the environments in which young children grow up today, it is essential to have an understanding of parents’ experiences and practices, taking into account their living and working contexts, their social circles, as well as their personal histories and the influence of these factors on their daily lives.

The Évane study will:

• Describe how mothers and fathers of children aged 0 to 2 experience parenthood, by measuring indicators such as feelings of parental competence, stress and pressure related to their parenting role, information needs, as well as certain parenting practices (reading, play, shared activities, etc.).

• Gain detailed knowledge of parents’ environments and living conditions (work, housing, social support, available services, resources, etc.)

• Measure and document social inequalities in parenting experiences and practices.

…useful for public decision-making

The initial results of the study will be published in 2025. They will provide a better understanding of the contexts that may act as protective factors against parental stress or, conversely, contribute to it, as well as the interactions and parenting practices beneficial to child development. They will also help identify information needs, as well as the use of and interest in services intended for parents of young children.

Santé publique France’s “First 1,000 Days” strategy involves raising awareness and providing information to parents of young children, as well as to the professionals who support them, notably through the website 1000-premiers-jours.fr. It also includes the design and support of early interventions to foster parent-infant interactions, particularly in situations of vulnerability. Monitoring this strategy involves updating knowledge on the living conditions, experiences, and needs of parents during this period.

The indicators and results of studies conducted using Évane data will be accessible to all early childhood professionals (healthcare, social services, research, etc.) and policymakers. They will thus have scientific evidence to strengthen the relevance of their actions and to engage in discussions regarding initiatives targeting parents of young children in light of the study’s findings.