The Duchess of Cambridge has launched a landmark national survey about the early years development of children.

Kate highlighted her ambitious project to ask “five big questions on the under-fives” with a tour taking in venues in Birmingham, Cardiff and Surrey.

The Duchess of Cambridge receives a bouquet as she attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
The duchess received a bouquet as she attended the launch of the UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
Kate has made the subject one of the main pillars of her public work (Eddie Keogh/PA)
A girl smiles as the Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
The project involves an online poll conducted by Ipsos Mori on behalf of the Royal Foundation (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
It is thought to be the biggest survey of its kind (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
It aims to encourage a nationwide conversation on early childhood (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
The survey will run for a month, from January 21 to February 21 (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
Those taking the poll will be asked five questions to gauge their views about early years (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
Kate joined primary and nursery school-age children in MiniBrum at the city’s Thinktank Science Museum (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the launch of a UK-wide survey on early childhood at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
It is a child-size version of Birmingham where children learn through play (Eddie Keogh/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a visit to Ely & Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff
Kate then visited Ely & Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff (Ben Birchall/PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a visit to Ely & Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff
The duchess said her ambition ‘is to provide a lasting change for generations to come’ (Ben Birchall/PA)
UK-wide survey on early childhood
The Duchess of Cambridge chats with mothers and babies at Ely & Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff (Geoff Caddick/PA)
UK-wide survey on early childhood
The duchess joined in with visitors to the centre (Geoff Caddick/PA)
UK-wide survey on early childhood
Kate chats to a father and child at Ely & Caerau Children’s Centre (Geoff Caddick/PA)