Early Years Strategy 2024–2034: An overview

Introduction

The early years (0–5 years of age) are a critical developmental period for children. Experiences during this time can affect children’s early development and learning, as well as influence their health and wellbeing outcomes later in life. Supporting children and their parents or carers during this period helps give children the best possible start in life (Australian Government, 2024a).

This year, the Australian Government released the Early Years Strategy 2024–2034 (hereafter called ‘the Strategy’). The Strategy outlines priorities to promote the health and wellbeing of children in their early years, with a focus on supporting children and their parents and carers.

This short article provides an overview of key elements of the Strategy and how it was developed.

What is the Early Years Strategy?

The Strategy is a 10-year commitment by the Australian Government to improve support for children in the early years and to promote positive health and wellbeing outcomes in childhood and throughout the course of life. The Strategy recognises the importance of people who form foundational relationships with children, including parents and carers, kin, families, community and the early years workforce.

The vision of the Strategy is:

The Strategy aims to address concerns that the early childhood system is complex and that early childhood services¹ are often fragmented. It also recognises that some children and families are more likely to encounter challenges and barriers to accessing support services than others. Families experiencing these challenges could include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children and families, children with disability, and families living in regional or remote areas (Australian Government, 2024a).

The Strategy signifies a commitment to improving the integration and coordination of early childhood services to make it easier for families to access the services they need (Australian Government, 2024a).

It outlines principles, outcomes and priority focus areas with the intention that these will inform decisions about policy, service delivery and program funding in the early years sector for the next 10 years.

For more information on the Strategy’s principles, outcomes and priority focus areas, read the full Early Years Strategy 2024–2034 or the Early Years Strategy 2024–2024: Strategy snapshot on the Department of Social Services website.

The Strategy was developed to help address challenges in the early childhood system, to promote a more connected and collaborative service system, and to support a shared understanding throughout the sector of what works best for children and their families and how to achieve this. It recognises the crucial importance of the early years for children’s future wellbeing.

In 2024, there are more than 1.82 million children aged 0–5 years old living in Australia. These children come from diverse backgrounds and circumstances and have different needs in relation to gender, culture, language, place and disability (Australian Government, 2024c).

Regardless of these differences, the early years, including the antenatal period, are a critical window within which parents, carers and services can have a significant impact on children’s development, health, sense of identity and learning (Australian Government, 2024c).

Some of the most important influences on a child’s development during this period are the relationships they have with parents, caregivers, family and community. Supporting families and caregivers with information and skills during this period can help set children up for success throughout their lives. This includes being able to connect children and families with responsive and inclusive services that have the capabilities and capacity to meet their diverse needs (Australian Government, 2024a).

To develop the Strategy, the Australian Government conducted a consultation process that included a National Early Years Summit, a public survey, submissions, roundtables and consultations with children (Australian Government, 2024b).

The Strategy was also informed by an advisory panel with 14 experts from various sectors and organisations, including representatives from the children’s health, child and family welfare sectors, the early years workforce, the National Children’s Commissioner, and SNAICC – Voice of Our Children (Australian Government, 2024b).

Why and how was the Strategy developed?

Several key themes emerged from the consultations and were incorporated into priority focus areas (Australian Government, 2024b). These included:

• the need for greater collaboration across Australian Government agencies and to reduce silos in policy and service delivery.
• the importance of universal but not uniform supports, recognising that different population groups and people within different population groups may have unique needs (e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, CALD children and families, children with disability, LGBTIQA+ children and families, and families living in regional or remote areas)
• recognising that relationships are the foundation of positive growth and development for children and that supporting the people who form foundational relationships with children in their early years (e.g. parents, families, caregivers and kinship carers) can prevent early harm and positively influence child health and wellbeing
• the importance of accessible, quality data and evidence, and of supporting and valuing the early years workforce
• the need for whole-of-family supports and to centre children and family voices in policies and discussions that affect them.

For more information on the consultation process and outcomes refer to the Early Years Strategy consultation report 2023.

Next steps for the Strategy

The priorities and principles outlined in the Strategy are intended to help guide the sector towards shared goals, accountability and outcomes. Decision makers, practitioners and professionals who work with children aged 0–5 years old and their families can potentially use the Strategy to help guide practice and service delivery, and to align local and organisational policies with the national vision. However, the Strategy is still relatively new and there are a range of other national and local initiatives focused on children in the early years, which means the full practical implications for professionals or services working with families are not yet clear.

The steps to achieve the vision and goals outlined in the Strategy will be outlined in three action plans to be released over the next 10 years, along with an Outcomes Framework.

In December 2024, the Australian Government released the first of these plans and an outcomes framework:

• The Early Years Strategy 2024–2034: First action plan 2024–2027
• The Early Years Strategy 2024–2034: Outcomes framework

Further reading

Included below are links to the full Early Years Strategy 2024–2034, a snapshot of the Strategy, the first action plan and the outcomes framework, as well as documents providing further context on why and how the Strategy was developed.

• Early Years Strategy 2024–2034
• Early Years Strategy 2024–2034: Strategy snapshot
• Why children and their early years matter: An evidence summary in support of the Early Years Strategy 2024–20344
• Early Years Strategy: Consultation report 2023
• The Early Years Strategy 2024–2034: First action plan 2024–2027
• The Early Years Strategy 2024–2034: Outcomes framework

Further resources

The following resources may be useful for practitioners working with children in their early years (0–5 years) and their families.

• What works to improve young children’s social, emotional and behavioural wellbeing? – Australian Institute of Family Studies
• Creating environments to support young children’s development – Australian Institute of Family Studies
• Supporting infants’ and toddlers’ resilience during daily transitions – Australian Institute of Family Studies
• Infant mental health (learning pathway) – Emerging Minds
• Identifying social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in the early childhood years (practice paper) – Emerging Minds
• Child development: Infants and toddlers (0–3 years) (fact sheet) – Emerging Minds
• Child development: Preschoolers (3–5 years old) (fact sheet) – Emerging Minds
• Infant and child mental health consultation guide (0–5 years) (practice guide) – Emerging Minds

References

Australian Government. (2024a). Early Years Strategy 2024–2034.

Australian Government. (2024b). The Early Years Strategy: Consultation report.

Australian Government. (2024c). Why children and their early years matter: An evidence summary in support of the Early Years Strategy 2024–2034.