Do you wonder what is important for babies and young children?
Would you like to know what affects their social and emotional wellbeing?
Do you have questions that need answering?
Maybe you’ve looked for answers and not found them?

Perhaps there is research that still needs to be done.

The Developing Child UK Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) has been launched to transform the way research priorities are viewed for the early years sector. Led by the Supporting Early Minds Research Network, this initiative does more than ask what research can be done, it asks what research should be done.

The PSP is based upon a simple but powerful idea that those who use and deliver services – such as parents, caregivers, health visitors, and other early years professionals – hold crucial insights into what really matters in terms of support for the social and emotional development for very young children.

The project focuses on children under five, reflecting the growing recognition of the critical importance of the first 1000 days of childhood in shaping long-term wellbeing, resilience, and mental health. However, gaps remain in how best to support families during this time, particularly at a community level.

To address this, the PSP is gathering ideas from parents and caregivers of young children to health visitors, early years practitioners, academics, policy makers, and service commissioners. The process follows the methodology of the James Lind Alliance, which has pioneered public involvement in research priority-setting.

Together, they hope to identify the most pressing unanswered questions around community-based support: what works, who should deliver it, and how can it be made accessible and effective for all families. Through surveys, workshops, and consultations, the PSP will develop a Top 10 list of research priorities by June 2026, to guide policy, practice, and research agendas for years to come.

These priorities are already of interest to major research funders such as the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR), which plans to align future funding calls with the results of this process. This is exciting as it means research moving forward could be more closely tailored to practical needs; bridging gaps in early intervention, reducing inequalities, and supporting more joined-up service delivery across the UK.

The Developing Child PSP project is also a statement that investing in early childhood development goes beyond supporting children in the moment. It requires listening to their parents and caregivers, and the professionals around them – to build a healthier, happier community for the future.

Ultimately, the hope is that by choosing the right questions, future research will reflect genuine needs rather than assumptions or interests of funders, leading to more targeted and impactful support for young children and their families, closing gaps in services, strengthening partnerships between communities and the health system, and helping all children to thrive from the very start.

Update January 2026: after a brilliant response, and 903 questions submitted, the initial survey has now closed. 51% of responses came from parents and carers! The team are analysing the results, and a new survey will launch in the Spring to help narrow down the list to the top 10 priorities. Keep your eyes pealed!