Evidence to get it right in the early years: Our collective - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Evidence to get it right in the early years: Our collective responsibility

Our Strategic Approach

“What is the best contribution that the Collaboration can make to support families and communities improve the wellbeing of children?”

• Strategy Summit
• Delphi Survey
• Consultation with key stakeholders across all sectors
• Researched current trends, issues and barriers for children

and their families

Not everything that counts can be counted Not everything that is counted, counts 10 key numbers that drive what counts for us…

First 1,000 days

• Returns on investment for well designed early

years’ interventions significantly exceed their cost

• Benefits ranged from 75% to over 1,000%

higher than costs, with rates of return on investment significantly and repeatedly shown to be higher than those obtained from most public and private investments.

700–1,000 new neural connections / second

• At birth there are approx 2,300 synapses per neuron
• By 2-3 years there are approx 15,000 synapses (650%

increase) per neuron

• Neural connections are formed through interaction of

genes and a baby’s environment and experiences especially “serve and return” interaction with adults (reciprocity).

* A grain-sized speck of your brain contains 100,000 neurons and 1 billion talking synapses

(Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University, 2016; Myers 2004)

900 compared to 300 at 32 months…

• Ability gaps between advantaged and

disadvantaged open up early in the lives of children.

• Disadvantage should be measured

by quality of parenting and not necessarily by resources available to family (Heckman, 2008)

90-100% chance of developmental delays when children experience 6-7 risk factors

• Significant adversity impairs development in first 3 years of life.
• The more adversity the greater the odds of developmental delay for

cognitive, language or emotional development.

(Barth et al, 2008)

3:1 odds of adult heart disease after 7-8 adverse childhood experiences*

Early experiences get under your skin…cognitively, emotionally and physically Significant adversity (toxic stress) in childhood increases risks of many adult health problems (and significantly disrupts brain development):

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Some forms of cancer

*Adults who can recall 7-8 serious adverse childhood experiences - 3X more likely to have CV disease as adult (Dong et al, 2004)

20%-50% lower morbidity and mortality

Sweden adopted a policy of investment in early years’ prevention, returns are not

• nly financial but in strikingly better health for the whole population.
• Infant mortality 50% lower than UK
• Obesity levels more than 50% lower than UK
• Teenage pregnancy 25% of UK levels
• Deaths from cancer & smoking related diseases approx 20% lower than UK
• Deaths form circulatory diseases 25% lower than UK
• Deaths from chronic liver disease more than 50% lower than UK

(UNICEF, 2007)

Macro perspective: 2% change to pay for themselves

Lifetime costs of bad outcomes - early years interventions cost-effectiveness judged by the minimum number of cases of child abuse, drug use problems or criminality a given intervention can reliably be predicted to prevent.

Early years interventions need to be successful in preventing child abuse in only 2% of their participants to pay for themselves, without taking account of what they may deliver in reduced alcohol or drug abuse, future domestic violence or such other benefits as reduced medical and welfare costs

(Cohen et al, 2010)

Net benefits $1,400 - $240,000 / child

• 8 conservative cost benefit analyses of early years programs (or meta-

analyses) showed benefits significantly exceeding costs – payoff per $ invested ranging from $1.80 to $17.07

• Estimated net benefits ranged from $1,400 to nearly $240,000 /child
• Greatest benefits from long term follow-up

(Rand/Karoly et al 2005)

$80,000 return/child…

Chicago Child-Parent Centre Program* :

• Benefits of more than $80,000 / child - $10.80 of benefits / $1

invested

• Children with 4 or more family risk factors yielded almost double the

benefits of those with fewer ($12.80 Vs $7.20 / $1 invested)

• Children from highest poverty neighbourhoods had returns more

than 4X higher than those from less disadvantaged areas *Embedded in Chicago public schools for 4 decades

(Reynolds et al, 2011)

0-3 years highest return

• Financial returns on investment are highest for

age 0-3 and diminish progressively as children become older.

• Learning begets learning… early benefits

become cumulative

• Early years interventions promote both

economic efficiency and reduce lifetime inequality

Provide policy makers with a rare opportunity to spend money in a way that delivers social and economic benefits at the same time

(Heckman, 2008)

Greatest payback?

• Basic principles of neuroscience and the process of human skill

formation indicate that early years’ intervention for the most vulnerable children will generate the greatest payback.

• Returns are much higher for families from poverty

neighbourhoods and those with more family risk factors.

Reynolds et al, 2011

Our Strategic Approach

“What is the best contribution that the Collaboration can make to support families and communities improve the wellbeing of children?”

• Strategy Summit
• Delphi Survey
• Consultation with key stakeholders across all sectors
• Researched current trends, issues and barriers for children

and their families

75.2% of Australian Children are developmentally on track

• There is a sizeable minority who are vulnerable and

falling further behind.

• Children living in the most socio-economically

disadvantaged areas were 4.1 times more likely to be developmentally vulnerable than those from the least disadvantaged areas.

Department of Education and Training. Australian Early Development Census - 2015 National Report. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; 2016

82% ranked engaging with families experiencing vulnerability as a top priority

Delphi survey asked what research issues should CoLab focus on?

• 1. Engaging families experiencing vulnerability
• 2. Economic analyses
• 3. Early education and care
• 4. Enhancing learning environments within playgroups, centre-based

care, schools & community and home 110 stakeholders participated in the Delphi survey- Thank you!

17.4% of Australian Children Live below the Poverty Line

Significant or prolonged activation of the stress

response systems can

have lifelong damaging effects on learning,

behaviour and health

Saunders, P, Bradbury B, Wong, M, Poverty in Australia (2016). Australian Council of Social Service and the Social Policy Research Centre, 2016, University of New South Wales; Strawberry Hills.

Service Delivery Research/Policy questions (examples):

• Where do vulnerable children first

enter the service system?

• What pathways do they take

through the service systems?

• How could public sector agencies

collaborate to optimise early intervention?

Telethon Kids Institute, Linked Data and Social Policy Group

80% identified service integration / place- based approaches as key

Service integration/ Place-based approaches - advocating for integrated, holistic services that make sense for families Working with services and schools to improve their policy and practice - using the experiences of families to enhance service design and delivery

SERVICE TYPE

ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING SERVICES

• Alcohol and Drug

Services

Health Department of WA Mawarnkarra Aboriginal Health Service Yandina Family Services Incorporated Pilbara Rehabilitation Facility Pilbara Alcohol & Drug Aboriginal Program Roebourne Prison WA Police

Children and Youth Issues

Department of Child Protection Department of Justice Department of Education Department of Health Department of Housing Pilbara Institute Nuragwanna School WA Police Shire of Roebourne Department for Communities and Local Government Commonwealth Department for Human Services Commonwealth Department for Education, Employment Clontarf Foundation Pilbara Development Commission

Health

DCP - Manga Tharndu Maya Mawarnkarra Aboriginal Health Service Yandina Family Services Incorporated Department of Attorney General

Overcrowding and housing issues

Department of Housing Department of Child Protection Pilbara Community Legal Service Mawarnkarra Aboriginal Health Service Yandina Family Services Incorporated Department of Aboriginal Affairs Ashburton Shire Commonwealth Department of Housing

Housing

Home & Community Care (HACC) Mawarnkarra Aboriginal Health Service (MAHS) WA Country Health Service Home & Community Care (HACC) Pilbara & Kimberley Care Inc

Employment and Training

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Woodside Pilbara Institute Graham Polly Foundation Roebourne District High School Karratha Senior High School Gumula Corporation Marnda Mia Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation Commonwealth Department for Education and Employment FACHSIA Ngarliyarndu Bindirri Aboriginal Corporation (NBAC Ngarluma Yindibarndi Foundation Ltd (NFYL)

Western Australia $50,978 per Aboriginal person $19,512 per non- Aboriginal person

Productivity Commission’s 2012 Indigenous Expenditure Report (IER) for Western Australia

Roebourne- 1410 People, 206 Services, 63 Organisations

Complex and poorly coordinated services

Reference: Government of Western Australia, Location Based Services Review 2014

Summary of information collected in strategic planning process

• Most Australian children are doing well, but there is a sizeable

minority that are vulnerable and getting further behind.

• Research has shown what children need for optimal development and

learning; but not how to provide it for all children.

• Services are poorly coordinated and stakeholders say communities

want more say in how services are delivered.

• People want to collaborate to improve the future of our children; but

they an unsure of the best way to go about it.

Our Strategic Framework Vision

Young children in Australia develop, learn and thrive so they can build a better future for themselves and their communities.

Mission

To bring together families, clinicians, educators, policy makers, other practitioners and researchers to provide evidence to improve service delivery and community capacity to meet the needs of children, families and communities who are experiencing vulnerability.

Antenatal support

• Targeted at parents
• Centre-based
• Outcomes: healthy baby weight, good

brain health, appropriate care, “adequate parenting” Antenatal Early childhood education and care

• Targeted at all kids (in groups)
• High quality for all children
• Delivered out of home in a “pseudo-home-learning

environment”

• Outcomes: children on optimal developmental pathway

(cognitive and social-emotional), with success at school Early childhood Birth to 2 years 2-5 years School-based early intervention

• Targeted at all kids
• School-based
• Outcomes: children on
• ptimal learning pathway

by Year 3 School years Sustained nurse home visiting

• Targeted at disadvantaged parents
• Health and development support
• Home-based
• Outcomes: parents develop parenting skills

Parenting programs

• Targeted at parents whose children have behavioural issues (higher

prevalence in disadvantaged families)

• Centre-based, delivered in groups or 1:1
• Outcomes: remedy of specific emerging behavioural issues

5 3 1 4 2 FIVE FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGIES

Start with the end in mind

Our Three Priorities

Economic understanding

• f service

delivery

Australian evidence

• n cost-effectiveness
• f early education

interventions Evidence to Government on return on investment

Place-based approaches for families and communities

Integrated services that meet the needs

• f the communities

they serve Empowering communities to have more say in the services they receive

Vulnerable children and families

Identifying

• pportunities for

prevention, early intervention and treatment Working with families to ensure their needs are met

What we need to be good at

What we will do

Families Experiencing Vulnerability Consultation Group

Development of three- year work plan Forums Evidence Summaries Position Papers Partnerships with Government agencies

Place-based Approaches Consultation Group

Development of three- year work plan Forums Evidence summaries Position Papers

Economic Understanding of Service Delivery Consultation Group

Development of three- year work plan Economic Think Tank Position Papers

Child Development Atlas The Early Years App Early Childhood Report Card Demonstration Projects Higher Degree Students Research Evidence Policy Practice