All children deserve the best start in life – we must aim to fulfil every child’s right to thrive. The earliest years of a child’s life lay the foundations for their health, wellbeing and future outcomes. What babies and young children experience affects how they learn and develop. Persistent exposure to adverse environments and experiences in the early years, such as poverty, often means that young children don’t have equal access to the conditions that enable them to do well. Relative poverty for households where there is a child under five continues to rise rapidly, though economic disadvantage does not inevitably lead to poor outcomes for children. Key factors play a significant role in mitigating the causes and effects of poverty. Our responsibility is to maximise the chances of good outcomes for babies and children through multi-sector, long-term commitment and proportionate investment so that all families are given fair access to opportunities for their children.
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