The Australian Government is developing an Early Years Strategy to shape its vision for the future of children. The Strategy will help the Commonwealth create a more integrated, holistic approach to the early years and better support the education, wellbeing and development of children. To help inform the Strategy, consultations are being undertaken through expert workshops and public submissions. 

This submission is from the Australian Institute of Family Studies. It outlines some of the influences on child development, drawing on the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, then highlights other research by AIFS into early childhood education and care. Links to past AIFS research and published findings are included.