What Influences a Child's Development?
What influences a child's development? Far more than we usually think. That was one of the central themes of the Aspen Annual Conference 2026 in Prague, where early childhood was discussed as a strategic investment for society as a whole.
The theme of early childhood resonated this year not only in expert circles. It was one of the key panels at the Aspen Annual Conference 2026 in Prague, where the discussion centred on why supporting the youngest children is a strategic investment for society as a whole.
To make sure the conversation didn't stay confined to the stage, the very next day we joined forces with the Aspen Institute Central Europe and the Platforma pro včasnou péči to host a practical workshop with James Cairns of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.
What did we learn?
A child's development isn't just about the parents.
It's shaped by the environment a child grows up in — relationships, the quality of housing, levels of stress, health, the availability of care, and even how the surrounding community and public services work.
Good experiences change a life's trajectory.
A child's brain is built “from the bottom up”, and early experiences literally lay the foundations on which the rest of life will be built. Every positive interaction counts — even a small change can have a big impact.
Early childhood is not a niche issue.
It shapes the future health of the population, success in school, employability and the social stability of a region.
It concerns every one of us — not just parents or teachers.
And why does it matter right now?
Because we have a window of opportunity that doesn't last forever.
When we support children early, the gain comes back to society many times over — in health, education, lower stress, less burden on the social system and stronger communities.
That is precisely why the ŠKODA AUTO Endowment Fund has long supported nursery and primary schools, works with vulnerable children, and systematically helps families in the regions where ŠKODA operates.
Early childhood is a natural and logical part of this work.
What does it mean in practice?
If we want every child to have the chance of a strong start, we need everyone working together:
🤝 experts
🤝 non-profit organisations
🤝 businesses
🤝 municipalities, regions and institutions
Because no single sector can do it alone, but together we can put the issue of early childhood where it belongs:
➡️ on the public and political agenda
➡️ into regional development
➡️ into the everyday decisions of institutions, communities and businesses
