Sharon Goldfeld and Yasmin Harman-Smith: Action needed to get children's developmental progress back on track
A child's early years provide the building blocks for a lifetime of good health, development and wellbeing. It's therefore vital that researchers and policymakers know whether children are developmentally on track.
Australia is fortunate to have one of the world's most comprehensive collections of data on early childhood development in the world. Every three year since 2009, teachers have reported on five key areas of children's development in their first year of school as part of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC). Last year, with the support of teachers, schools and communities, the AEDC included over 94 per cent of Australian children. This week, the Australian Government released the 2024 results, with the findings suggesting a need for action.
The data tells us that since the last census in 2021, the percentage of children developmentally on track across all five domains of the AEDC – physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills (school-based) and communication skills and general knowledge – has declined, at the same time as the number of children experiencing developmental vulnerability has risen.
The findings also highlight that while drivers of this downturn have affected children and families across the socio-economic spectrum, a sizable equity gap in the developmental outcomes of children remains. Children living in the most socio-economically disadvantaged communities experience substantially higher rates of developmental vulnerability compared to their peers growing up in areas with greater access to material resources. These unwelcome trends risk Australia's future prosperity.
To prevent these findings worsening, we need to know what's driving this developmental downturn. Is it related to the COVID-19 lockdowns (these children were babies and toddlers in 2020-22)? A reflection of cost-of-living pressures? Changes to the availability of early childhood intervention services or a lack of access to childcare and universal health services? How social media is affecting children's interactions? Are we effectively responding to children and families' changing needs?
The truth is, we just don't have the answers right now. Hopefully, our research in coming months will help unpack cause and effect, but children's developmental needs must be prioritised. We can't relegate these statistics to a 'watch and wait' approach.
In Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election night speech, he spoke of building an Australia where 'no one is held back, and no one is left behind' — a future we want for all Australian children.
These results don't need to be the canary in the coalmine. We know from previous AEDC data that we can improve how all children and families are supported in the early years. The crucial questions are what can we do right now to help meet children's early development needs? What plans will address these stark and seemingly immutable inequities? We have enough information to embark on evidence-based policy solutions, with remarkable political will — and capital — at the federal and state level.
We recommend five universal or targeted strategies that should be implemented within current policy commitments which include: Ensuring childcare and preschool is of high-quality, equitable and accessible; delivering on foundational supports through inclusive universal health and education that can identify and respond to child and family needs; stacking high-quality and evidence-based services together in integrated hubs; rapidly implementing the Better and Fairer School Agreement funding to disadvantaged schools with evidence-based strategies to deliver holistic support to all children, especially those with additional needs and embedding the right data systems for local improvement, solutions and accountability to rapidly drive real systems change.
There is a moment when we must stop being a spectator and start acting for change. That time is now. Australia must change the status quo if we are to see improvements reflected in the next AEDC in 2027.
Professor Sharon Goldfeld is Theme Director at Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Associate Professor Yasmin Harman-Smith is Head of the Early Years Systems Evidence Team at The Kids Research Institute Australia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
3 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Best-selling Aussie skincare brand Bescher is offering 25 per cent off site-wide until this Sunday
There's a reason skincare fans are racing to restock their Bescher favourites, and right now, the cult-favourite Sea Cucumber Collagen Instant Lift Eye Serum is 25 per cent off until Sunday, 30 June. Normally $149, the lightweight yet powerful eye serum is down to just $111, and it's gaining attention for delivering what so many products only promise: actual results. Australian brand Bescher is the first skincare label in the world to use sustainably sourced topical Sea Cucumber Collagen, and it's a game-changer for anyone dealing with tired-looking, crepey, or sagging under-eyes. Unlike your typical marine or bovine collagen, which often sits on the surface or takes months to show results, Bescher's formula uses an enzymatic process to break down the collagen i nto ultra-small peptides. We're talking five times smaller than the standard, so they can absorb deeper into the skin and work where it actually matters. The serum has quickly developed a loyal fan base, with some shoppers calling it an ' instant eye lift in a bottle.' 'My eyes are a problem point for me,' one reviewer shared. 'I have always creased under and around my eyes, and this serum instantly improves the creasing. I definitely felt more confident after applying. I've used it for over a month now and have noticed it has longer-lasting results too. Which I'm super happy about.' Another said, ' Beautiful eye cream that softens the lines under my eyes. I have quite dark under-eye circles, and I haven't noticed much difference after a couple of months, but I'll definitely continue using this product as I like how it feels and the lift I see.' So, what's inside? Sea cucumber collagen is naturally rich in Type I collagen, marine peptides, ceramides, triterpene saponins, and GAGs (glycosaminoglycans), all of which work together to regenerate the skin, calm inflammation and support hydration and elasticity. These powerful ingredients make it a go-to for mature or sensitive skin, especially for those who haven't had luck with traditional products. The entire Bescher range is designed for results, with no fillers, no fragrance, and no unnecessary fluff. Just pure, traceable actives that your skin will actually absorb. And the results speak for themselves. With a return customer rate of over 85 per cent, well above the skincare industry average, it's clear people are coming back for more. Alongside the bestselling eye serum, Bescher is also offering 25 per cent off sitewide for a limited time. That includes the cult-favourite Day & Night Pack, which contains the Regeneration Serum and normally retails for $249, now marked down to $186. Spending more than $200? You'll get a free Regeneration Serum valued at $119. Spend over $300, and you'll also score a free Beauty Puffer Bag valued at $69.
9 News
4 hours ago
- 9 News
'Waste of money': Aussie influencers enlisted for anti-vaping campaign
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The federal government has launched an anti-vaping campaign using popular online influencers to educate young people on the dangers of nicotine addiction. Six high-profile Australians, including a singer, a two-time Paralympian, and a TikTok star, have been enlisted to clear up misinformation and change the narrative on vaping. Among them are Paralympic swimmer Col Pearse, TikTok star Veronia B, known online as Aunty Salma, Australian singer Cxloe and content creator Tedsthetics. The results of the research show why Australia's new vaping laws need to be strictly enforced, University of Sydney Associate Professor Becky Freeman says. (iStock) Research found these high-profile Australians are particularly popular with young people aged between 14 and 20, the federal government said in a statement. Vaping and the use of e-cigarettes is the most common among young people aged between 18 and 24 in Australia, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The latest campaign comes after Cancer Council research found government education targeting vaping has contributed to it becoming less "socially acceptable". In one video shared by Veronica B in character as Aunty Salma, she pretended to be an older relative asking a family member why they vape. "What are the pros of vaping? Zero, minus one even," she said in the footage. "The risks of vaping… coughing, breathing problems, nicotine dependence, waste of money and it can affect your brain development." Veronica B AKA Aunty Salma shared a video on the negative impacts of vaping. (TikTok/@yourauntysalma) Two-time Paralympian Pearse shared a video with a more serious note, discussing how vaping can impact your performance as an athlete. He also urged young people to avoid being peer-pressured into trying vaping. "It can be hard to say no at first, but back yourself and your friends are there to help and support you along the journey," he said. "You might even help them say no, too." Paralympic swimmer Col Pearse said vaping impacts your performance as an athlete. (TikTok/@Col_Pearse) Each video asks viewers to download the federal government's My QuitBuddy app, which provides tips and information about staying smoke and vape-free. The Australian government said the influencers have already generated a combined eight million views and 650,000 likes during the first phase of the education campaign. "There is an enormous amount of misinformation and online advertising designed to lure teenagers into vaping," Health Minister Mark Butler said. "Together with the Albanese government's world-leading vaping reforms, education is a key step to stopping Big Tobacco companies from luring a new generation into nicotine dependency. "It's pretty clear that teenagers don't watch TV or listen to health ministers, much as I might like them to, which is why we've partnered with influencers that young people listen to: from comedians, to sport stars and gamers, and everyone in between." Australia smoking health government national CONTACT US
West Australian
12 hours ago
- West Australian
Andrew Miller: Sia lyrics hit home after tough week with the flu
Sia fans know that the acoustic version of her song Chandelier has the real feels. As I flailed upon my fever bed recently, I was mumbling her poignant lyrics through my delirium — 'I'm holding on for dear life.' I didn't die — but as you know, it's touch and go when a man gets the flu. On a microscopic level, the invisible, intractable influenza A virus was busily binding to surfaces of cells throughout my respiratory system. Like millions of Trojan horses, they snuck inside cells lining my nose, throat and lungs, releasing their RNA code into the cytoplasmic soup, and commandeered the apparatus that manufactures bespoke proteins. As those viral-coded proteins began to kill infected cells, my general immune response was triggered, releasing chemicals like cytokines to drive my temperature up, make my head and muscles ache, and commence full-steam mucus production. Sorry. My body was forcing me to retreat, roll up in a ball and fight the beast within. Man down. Hospital admissions for COVID-19 and influenza are up, and airborne protection precautions are back in many clinical areas. Mask use is wise in crowded indoor locations, for example on public transport. I knew it was bad when my registered nurse wife took one look at me and immediately put on her bravest front, acting for all the world as if she thought my coughing, wheezing and cartoonish sneezes were melodramatic. I saw right through her coping mechanism. Unable to face my pain, she took her pillow and decamped to the other room to grieve for my dearly departed good health, while listening to her podcast and drinking her tea. She knew that I was vaccinated against influenza's worst outcomes — my lymphocytes forewarned, as it were — so her vigil from a distance was safe enough. I felt even worse, knowing the anguish I was putting her through. I knew it was real flu and not a rhinovirus cold because of modern Rapid Antigen Tests that run influenza A, B, RSV and COVID-19, all on the same strip. Amazing technology. It would be a mistake to consider the study of viruses, aka virology, a dry subject — although medical textbooks try their hardest to make everything so. Scientists who tracked down the culprits for many infamous viral diseases in the late nineteenth century were as cunning as Sherlock Holmes, and probably also smoked pipes. Viruses, like wellness influencers, are obligate parasites. This means they exploit other living organisms for replication, unlike for example bacteria, which can multiply happily in last Thursday's curry. The discovery that some viruses infect specific bacteria, but not other living things, led to early speculation that we might treat bacterial infections — like cholera — with viruses called bacteriophages — phages for short. Viral phages could assassinate bacteria without affecting human hosts. Neat idea. Soon after this realisation though, antibiotics burst onto the scene and stole the limelight. Who said nothing good ever came out of Adelaide? Actually, that might have been me. South Australian Howard Florey, with Oxford's Alexander Fleming and Ernst Chain, received the Nobel Prize in 1945 for their respective contributions to making penicillin widely available for treating bacterial infections. Bacteria have evolved antibiotic resistance since then, so now our scientists are re-examining the viral phages for alternative treatment options. Our State health systems run on the smell of an oily spreadsheet, held together by the goodwill of frontline staff. Winters used to be peak, but it's year-round bedlam now. We must use whatever tools we have to reduce numbers presenting for hospital treatment for influenza and COVID-19. The latter is currently involved in the admission of around 150 patients in WA alone. Getting updated vaccine boosters is the least thing individuals can do to help hospitals, ourselves and our long-suffering families. OK — apart from Florey's penicillin, Sia, Cold Chisel, Paul Kelly, JM Coetzee and Penfold's Grange — what else have South Australians ever done for us? Andrew Miller is an anaesthetist and director of the federal AMA.
