Marking the launch of the 2025 edition of the Van Leer Foundation’s flagship annual publication Early Childhood Matters, the Urban95 Academy and LSE Cities hosted a closed-door roundtable discussion bringing together leaders in the fields of media, architecture, advocacy, academia and philanthropy to discuss the various ways each sector is engaging with the topics of parental and caregiver wellbeing. The discussion examined various sections of the publication which was edited by the CEO of the Van Leer Foundation Michael Feigelson, and author Elissa Strauss.
Invited participants of the roundtable debated how the topics covered in the publication’s 33 articles could or are resonating within their sectors. The journal is organised around three themes: 1. Understanding Human Connection, 2. Rebuilding Villages of Support and 3. Collective Approaches to Healing.
Some standout pieces include an article by Darby Saxbe on “Dad Brain” exploring how Fatherhood transforms men’s brains in profound ways, a piece by Sree Kumar Kumaraswamy, Madhura Kulkerani and Visakha Ka on how urban design choices that support caregivers are transforming cities across India, and an article by Andres Moya and Camila Londono on how wellbeing of caregivers can bring stability to families in Colombia impacted by conflict and displacement.
The full publication can be downloaded here.
