Advocating for every child

Published

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 - 12:00 PM

Our submission to the National Early Years Strategy shares evidence from RSTO’s research and co-design work with services and communities.

Restacking the Odds aims to redress the effects of inequities and disadvantage in the early years that can span generations. It is a program that focuses on how to work differently within existing service infrastructure to improve outcomes for children and families. 

View the submission

We know too many children experience disadvantage and are at risk of unfair and unjust differences in their health, wellbeing and opportunities. We encourage the Australian Government to move from the current patchwork approach in the early years of life and make a promise to every child that they will get the support they need to thrive. 

Drawing on the insights we’ve gained from RSTO’s  research and prototype development work, our advocacy team submitted recommendations and priorities for the Government’s National Early Years Strategy 2023. We’re advocating for a National Early Years strategy that focuses on the following priorities:  

• Commit to providing a combination of high-quality evidence-based early years services for all children and families where and when they need them. These services should be implemented concurrently and continuously across the early years to boost children's health development and wellbeing. The RSTO strategies were chosen because they:
  • are proven to improve early childhood outcomes; 
  • operate across early childhood;
  • focus on both children and parents; 
  • can be targeted at those who need them most; and 
  • are typically available in some form in many communities. 
• Embed a common three-part framework to empower practitioners to monitor performance and progress routinely with children and families – measuring quantity, quality and participation in early years services, using lead indicators. 
• Investment in systems to support routine collection, interpretation and use of lead indicator data to drive system performance and achieve sustainable change. This is needed at a service level, community level (including in place-based initiatives) and a systems level. 

Take a look at all RSTO submissions