The Early Years Strategy Consultation Report 2023

Introduction to the Early Years Strategy 2024-2034

The Australian Government has developed an Early Years Strategy (the Strategy).

The Strategy uses ‘we’ and ‘our’ to refer to the Australian Government.

This video provides a summary of the Strategy in Auslan. You can access the Strategy online at: Early Years Strategy | Department of Social Services, Australia Government (dss.gov.au)

On the same website there is an Evidence Summary Development of the Strategy involved extensive consultation.

An Auslan video on the Consultation Report is available at: https://youtu.be/98zY82cYcC4.

The Strategy covers a ten year period from 2024 to 2034 and is intended for children aged 0 to 5 years of age and their families and communities.

In Australia, there are more than 1.82 million children aged 0 and 5 years.

The Strategy sets the direction and course for collective efforts to nurture young children for a bright future.

What are the early years of childhood? Why are they important?

The early years includes the antenatal, newborn, infant, toddler and preschooler stages.

We know a child’s future begins with, and is shaped by, a good early childhood.

The early years of a child’s life is a critical window of opportunity where it is possible to positively influence a child’s development, sense of identity, health, learning, safety, resilience and happiness.

While the early years are not the only important period, they are the most critical due to brain development.

This is when the developing brain is most responsive to being shaped by the environment.

Why do we need a Strategy?

Every child deserves the opportunity for the best start to life, setting a strong foundation to achieve their goals and dreams, no matter where they are born or raised.

Every year of childhood is influential to development and the early years is when we set children up to achieve good health and wellbeing outcomes for their whole life.

Yet early childhood programs, supports and services can be difficult to access or navigate and may not be effective or fit for purpose.

Some children aren’t doing as well as they could be, and some families may want or need more help.

A collaborative focus on the early years is a commitment to:

• reducing silos across Government programs
• integrating and coordinating early childhood initiatives for greater impact
• achieving better outcomes for children and their families
• and meeting Australia’s commitments under human rights treaties.

It’s also a commitment to empowering and supporting those who form foundational relationships with children, including parents, caregivers, kin, family and the early years workforce.

What is the Strategy?

The Strategy outlines how we want to improve the early years based on what we know about its importance and how to make a difference, as well as what the community told us through consultation.

It is a Strategy for every child in their early years in Australia, as well as their parents, caregivers, families, kin and the communities who support them.

It is a 10-year framework to shape how the Australian Government prioritises young children’s wellbeing and delivers the best possible outcomes for them.

It is an overarching vision to drive and align Australian Government policy efforts and investments in the early years, and to promote cooperation.

This Strategy acknowledges, values, and embraces the similarities and differences among children and families. It is for all children.

Who will deliver the Strategy?

While the Strategy focuses on the Australian Government’s investment in the early years, achieving the vision requires a collective effort.

This Strategy establishes a new way to collaborate and coordinate effort across the Australian Government to invest and work more effectively.

The Australian Government will use the Strategy to guide its work with state and territory governments on improving outcomes for children and families.

This will build on the many state and territory child and family strategies that already exist.

What is the Early Years System?

Australia has a broad early years system comprising many services and supports to help families care for and raise children.

The system currently has many separate but connected parts such as health, allied health, parenting support, and early childhood education and care.

Different levels of government, non-government providers and community-based organisations design, fund and deliver these services.

Some supports and services are widely available and some are more targeted to support people at different ages, stages or circumstances.

Within the early years system, there is an extensive early years workforce with tailored skills and capabilities.

Families may interact with teachers, educators, doctors, nurses, playgroup facilitators,

volunteers, health workers, social workers, or other allied health professionals.

The Strategy builds on current early years system reforms so supports and services better meet the needs of children,

parents and families in the early years.

We will know our vision for the early years has been achieved when:

• all families have access to high quality, affordable and integrated services which provide maternal and child health, parenting support and early learning
• services provide families and communities with the knowledge and support needed to keep children safe
• there are services available to respond to family need, including home visits and outreach services, and are informed and guided by the needs of their community
• policies, programs and services are culturally safe and delivered by a culturally competent workforce so that everyone feels welcomed and supported
• there are prevention and safety supports for children and their families that are broadly available and can be accessed before a crisis occurs
• there is equitable access across the country to services to support children with possible developmental delays, including timely foundational supports to address concerns early
• the early years system is supported by a highly skilled, capable and supported workforce which is also focused on supporting children’s holistic development and wellbeing
• children and their families feel connected to each other and welcome in their community
• there are appropriate and long standing governance arrangements in place that facilitate cohesive and coordinated funding and the delivery of services and supports to families.

The Early Years Strategy has a vision, principles, outcomes and priority focus areas

Vision

The vision is:

That all children in Australia thrive in their early years.

They have the opportunity to reach their full potential when nurtured by empowered and connected families, who are supported by strong communities.

These are our shared hopes, dreams and aspirations.

Together we are making a commitment to wellbeing, equity and fairness.

We are preparing children for their future by giving them the best possible start in life.

This vision places children at the centre of this Strategy. No child should be left behind.

Principles

The Strategy has 5 principles that guide how we will work to support children and families in the early years.

1. Child and family-centred

We will include the voices of children and their families in the policies and decisions that affect them.

2. Strengths-based

We will recognise the abilities, knowledge and capacities of young children and their families as well as the strength that relationships between children and their families provide.

3. Respect for families and communities

We will respect and value the roles that parents, caregivers, families, kin, educators, communities, language and culture play for children.

4. Equitable, inclusive and respectful of diversity

We will value all forms of diversity, including in relation to gender, culture, language, place and disability.

5. Evidence informed

We will build and continually draw on the latest available data, evidence and insights to design,

develop and review supports and services for children and families.

Outcomes

The outcomes are the goals that will be used to measure how children are faring, how they are growing and developing and how families and communities are faring.

The eight outcomes are:

1. Children are nurtured and safe

This means children are: 

• supported by their parents, caregivers and families to develop strong and secure relationships
• nurtured and safe from harm within their homes and communities
• and able to spend quality time with their parents, caregivers, family, kin and friends.

2. Children are socially, emotionally, physically and mentally healthy

This means children have the best possible opportunities to:

• build self-esteem, respect and resilience
• develop physical capabilities, social competence, good mental health and live happy, healthy lives
• and develop strong language and communication skills.

3. Children are learning

This means children engage in positive, safe and stimulating learning environments that build healthy brains and bodies.

4. Children have strong identities and connections to culture

Children have the best opportunities when they:

• grow up in environments where they can develop positive social and emotional connection to their peers and others
• connect to their own culture, language, beliefs and identity
• and exercise increasing autonomy as they age and develop.

5. Children have opportunities to play and imagine

This means children have opportunities to play, imagine and express themselves creatively.

Children and their families have opportunities to experience the joy of early childhood. Play is acknowledged as essential and important.

6. Basic needs are met

This means children have access to essential or necessary things like adequate food and nutrition, healthcare, safe environments and housing.

7. Families are empowered, connected and supported

This means supporting and empowering parents, caregivers, families and kin to meet the health, social, emotional, mental health, developmental

and educational needs of children in the early years. It means they are equipped with the skills, capabilities and resources they need.

8. Communities are strong and inclusive places for children and their parents or carers to live, grow, play and connect

Communities must: 

• be safe, inclusive and enriching places that welcome children and their families
• encourage a sense of belonging and a connectedness to people, land and nature
• and offer an environment that helps children develop skills essential for healthy childhood development.

The Strategy acknowledges that there are many types of communities and it takes a village to raise a child.

Priority focus areas

There are four Priority Focus Areas that outline where we will direct efforts to achieve the vision and outcomes.

1. Value the early years

This involves raising awareness about why early childhood matters and ensuring our policies,

programs and services reflect the voices and perspectives of children and their families.

2. Empower parents, caregivers and families

This involves: 

• empowerment through access to high quality, evidence based information about children’s development and having the skills, resources and capabilities to help their children develop and learn
• supporting parent and community connections
• making supports and services responsive and inclusive
• and moving towards universal access to early childhood education and care.

3. Support and work with communities

This involves supporting local solutions to local problems and fostering shared decision making.

4. Strengthen accountability and coordination

This involves better integration, collaboration and coordination of programs and funding that impact early childhood development across Australian Government departments and agencies.

It also involves stronger data, research and evaluation to understand how a child’s experiences growing up shape and influence life outcomes and to understand the impact of our actions.  

Next Steps

1. Action Plans

The Strategy will be implemented through 3 action plans, with the first to be delivered in 2024.

This approach allows the Australian Government to be agile and responsive to contemporary challenges and opportunities, while retaining an enduring focus on the overarching Strategy.

The action plans will capture progress and actions arising from interconnected major reviews and reform activities, including in early childhood education and care.

2. Monitoring

An outcomes framework will outline how the outcomes in the Strategy will be measured.

It will help track the progress and success of the actions taken. An evaluation of the Strategy will also be undertaken.

3. Oversight

The Strategy focuses on the Australian Government’s investment in the early years, but the outcomes require the contribution of all stakeholders.

There will be collaboration with states and territories on areas of joint responsibility.

Throughout the development of the Strategy a strong governance structure was established,

including an Australian Government senior-level steering committee and an interdepartmental working group.

Additional governance arrangements will be in the first action plan.