Children, Families and Community: embracing change, embracing families

Abstract

For some time early childhood academics have been strongly advising governments around the world that investment in early childhood is the most efficient strategy to strengthen the quality of life for the future workforce. We know that disadvantage is created through the interaction of multiple risk factors operating at individual, family, community and society levels. We also know that early exposure to this network of risk shows demonstrable outcomes. Clearly, the world around children in these first years of life has a major impact and this impact is seen not just in outcomes in the early years but in life long outcomes. We are facing a choice: we can continue to do more of what we know is not working for all children and families, or we can change the way we deliver services, based on evidence of what does work.