About

Restacking the Odds (RSTO) is working to ensure that children and families can and do access a combination of high-quality, evidence-informed services where and when they need them.

The early years lay essential foundations for lifelong health, development, and wellbeing. Yet, in Australia, 1 in 5 children are starting school developmentally behind their peers, unable to make the most of learning and life opportunities. These differences are unfair, unacceptable, and importantly, preventable.

There is no single solution to the challenged faced by many children, families and communities. Improving children's health, development and wellbeing requires combining or 'stacking' multiple effective evidence-based strategies across the early years (0-8) and implementing them concurrently and continuously. 

RSTO has developed an evidence-based lead indicator framework and learning opportunities to help communities and early years services collect, understand and use evidence to inform decision making and improve service availability, quality and participation. By focusing on the early years and supporting services to better meet the needs of children and families, RSTO helps to create the conditions that enable all children to thrive.

Restacking the Odds is a collaboration between the Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Bain & Company and Social Ventures Australia. RSTO acknowledges the support of project partners, the Paul Ramsey Foundation and Seer Data.