Every child deserves the best start

Every child deserves the best possible start to life

Around a third of the children in our centres come from low-income families who are most at-risk of being developmentally vulnerable.

At Goodstart, we want every child in Australia no matter their background or life circumstance to experience high quality early learning. That’s because we know the power of high quality early learning in a child’s early years for school and life success.

From birth to age 5, a child learns faster than at any other time in his or her life. During these years, a child’s experiences and relationships help shape the adults they will become.

To ensure children and their families receive the support they need to succeed in a child’s most vital years, Goodstart continues to expand its investment in social inclusion programs and initiatives. We also advocate year-round to government to seek improved access and support for vulnerable children. Read about our advocacy work.

Fact: early learning matters

Here are just some of the countless reasons we’re driven to invest in our future generations through our social inclusion programs and initiatives:

• 80 per cent of a child’s brain development occurs in the first five years – these formative years of brain development are critical for a child’s school and life success.
• Children who start school behind often stay behind. Children who attend early learning are one third less likely to start school behind.
• Early learning helps right through the school years. A European Longitudinal Study showed that 16 year-olds scored 51 points higher in final exams if they attended a quality preschool. That’s the difference between B grades rather than C grades.

Learn more about our social inclusion commitment. 

Becoming community connected

• Respecting and celebrating diversity
• Improving health and wellbeing
• Accessing specialist support
• Improving organisational systems.

Learn more about our programs and initiatives.