In 2019, the project “the first 1000 days, where it all begins”, initiated by the government, made this subject a priority for public action. Indeed, today, it is well established scientifically that the actions that are carried out at the earliest in life, from pregnancy until the child is two years old, in the sensitive period known as “the first thousand days”, are among the most effective in public health. They are what will allow children to reach their full development potential until adulthood.
With this in mind, in 2021, Public Health France and the Ministry responsible for health conducted the first major information campaign on the importance of the first 1000 days, which is continuing this year with an enriched system and a campaign of additional display. The objective remains the same: raise awareness of this pivotal period and promote the site 1000-first-days.fr.
More than 2.5 million visits to the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website
The first 1000 days are therefore certainly a period of vulnerability, but they are just as much a tremendous period of opportunity for the child: his body and his organs are in full formation, his brain is experiencing its most spectacular period of growth and development. . Thanks to the fantastic acquisitions he makes through attentive and warm contact with his parents and then with others, the child can also develop the socio-emotional skills that are the prerequisites for good physical and mental health, in the short and long term. term and which will allow it to reach its full potential.
This is why in 2021, the site 1000-first-days.fr has been created. It offers scientifically based information, in connection with the fundamental needs of the child: a healthy and safe environment, an appropriate diet, stable and reassuring emotional relationships. As part of a benevolent and non-guilt-inducing editorial line, the site supports parents of children under two and future parents in their daily lives by offering practical and easy-to-implement advice.
The 1000-first-days site is:
- 90 articles divided into 4 sections,
- 25 animated videos, testimonials from experts and parents and soon 7 videos shot in PMI,
- 40 questions/answers that deal with the entire period of the first 1000 days,
- a simple and interactive “In practice” tool, which allows parents and future parents to obtain information on their environment and the objects they use on a daily basis.
The site now counts more than 2.5 million visits with an average time spent of 5 minutes which underlines the interest of users for the contents of the site. Articles related to baby’s food, sleep and crying are also particularly visited.
An awareness campaign aimed at parents and future parents enriched and rebroadcast to continue to inform and support them in this new role and to promote the 1000premiersjours.fr website
In order to strengthen the knowledge of parents and future parents and to promote the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website, Public Health France is creating new educational tools and rebroadcasting from September 26 to November 4, 2022 “Becoming a parent also means asking yourself Questions “.
- A poster campaign from September 26 to mid-October on screens in shopping centers and supermarkets to reinforce proximity with the public. These same visuals will be reproduced in a digital version, in the form of banners to be placed closer to users.
- An explanatory flyer of “In practice”, a simple and interactive tool from the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website, which offers practical advice related to everyday objects.
- The dissemination, in particular via LinkedIn, ofa video presenting the site 1000-premiers-jours.fr. It is intended for health and early childhood professionals, support and essential actors to support and guide parents in their parenthood and the first moments of the child’s life. This video complements the posters and bookmarks available to order and download.
The two campaign spots, one intended for parents, the other for future parents, are broadcast on TV, VOL, on social networks and on the radio. These spots share with us the intimacy of two couples wondering about their child.
“Becoming a parent also means asking yourself questions”: discover the campaign spots
The first 1000 days: Becoming parents also means asking questions [30s] (parents)
The first 1000 days: Becoming parents also means asking questions [30s] (future parents)
The communication device also includes:
- The rebroadcast of press announcements in the magazine press and the daily newspaper 20 minutes based on the questions that parents or future parents ask themselves and inviting them to find the answers on the site 1000-premiers-jours.fr.
- The renewal of the partnership with WeMoms, the mobile application intended for mothers and future mothers, more focused on practical advice.
- The partnership with M6, with the broadcast of expert interviews every evening from Monday to Friday at 8:20 p.m., from October 11 to November 4, 2022, has also been renewed with a more educational objective around the issues of the first 1000 days.
A positive evaluation of the first information campaign
In a desire to measure the effectiveness of its information and prevention actions, Public Health France conducts post-test surveys of its campaigns. Carried out in December 2021 with a sample of 1,000 parents and future parents, the results for the first broadcast of the campaign show that:
- More than half have already heard of the 1000-premiers-jours.fr website and this particularly important period of life.
- 88% felt concerned by the campaign (men/women combined).
- Nearly 80% recognized at least one campaign medium (TV or radio spots or visuals).
- More than 90% of those questioned thought that the campaign showed well the questions that parents or future parents ask themselves, the difficulties encountered or situations in which they can identify.
Public Health France’s action program in the field of perinatal and early childhood health
Since its creation in May 2016, Public Health France has made a significant commitment to health in the field of perinatality, early childhood and childhood. As part of its missions to observe the state of health 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 therefore cross-cutting and integrates monitoring, prevention and health promotion. Its approach is population-based according to a life trajectory that starts from the first 1,000 days in order to reduce social inequalities in health as soon as possible. Santé publique France is based on the state of scientific knowledge, the production of epidemiological indicators and on the determinants. Finally, on these bases, identification and support for the deployment of early interventions are developed, particularly with regard to vulnerable groups. For example, the PANJO intervention which is currently being deployed in PMI aims to support parent-child attachment.
Informing future parents and parents of young children and raising awareness of the challenges and opportunities of the so-called 1000-day period is another important focus.
Public Health France, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Prevention and many partners, closely monitors the health of mothers and children, through various repeated surveys (National Perinatal Survey, National Perinatal Survey-DROMS , Epifane 2021, Confidential national survey on maternal deaths.)
