Dr. Chris van Tulleken
UNICEF UK High Profile Supporter
“Young children and babies are brilliant! Yes, they can be loud. They can be messy. But the noise and the mess they’re experiencing at a place like this are a vital part of their development.”
Chris visited Mini Explorers, a dedicated early learning centre in Redbridge, and heard from parents and guardians about the importance of spaces like these for young children to play and learn. He also learned about some of the many challenges that families face, such as access to health services and childcare across the UK. Families shared how such spaces have been instrumental in supporting their children’s learning, and that these centres should be available for every child.
"If we want to build happy, functioning children, families and societies you have to have places like this for everyone. This is a matter of justice and fairness. So many communities across the country don’t have access to resources like this.”
Dr. Chris van Tulleken, UNICEF UK High Profile Supporter
Chris has been a loyal advocate for UNICEF since 2019. He first supported our Baby Friendly Initiative programmes, speaking at conferences and sharing important updates on his social channels. Chris has been supporting our Early Moments Matter campaign since its inception, supporting mothers and young children across the UK gaining access to vital resources in those early years.
While advocating for ending the two-child limit policy and benefit cap as part of the Early Moments Matter campaign, Chris shared through a compelling Instagram post:
“The financial support meant for two would have to be shared between three. This is fundamentally unfair… No child should be punished because of the order of their birth.”
About Chris
Dr. Chris Van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at UCLH, having trained in medicine at Oxford, and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians. Chris is one of the BBC’s leading medical science broadcasters. In his well publicised book Ultra-Processed People (2023), Chris explored the controversial issues around ultra-processed food and consulted with key UNICEF colleagues specialising in infant formula and child nutrition.
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