The first-ever Bucks Baby Week is set to take place from November 14 to November 20.

The event aims to educate parents, carers, grandparents, and parents-to-be in Buckinghamshire about the importance of child development in the early years.

The initiative is part of the national charity Baby Week, which started in the UK eight years ago.

Bucks Baby Week will focus on the first 1,001 days of a child's life, from pregnancy to their second birthday, as research shows this period has lifelong effects on health, wellbeing, educational achievement, and economic prospects.

Angela Macpherson, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "Of course, every parent or carer wants to give their child the best start in life, but not everyone may be aware how much of a difference simple things such as reading and playing with your baby can make for their speech and language development.

"By the age of two, a child’s brain is already 80 per cent developed, and has been making around one million new connections every second."

The week will include a range of free events and activities across the county, including fun bounce and rhyme sessions, messy play and explore sessions, baby and child first aid courses, and specialist support for teenage parents.

Ms Macpherson added: "We want to let anyone who may be finding it hard adjusting to parenthood or struggling to cope that there is a range of support and help out there and how to access it."

Some events are suitable for children up to the age of five.