Realising the promise of Thriving Kids: four critical questions for system design and implementation

Sharing four core questions around the design of Thriving Kids, along with insights and lessons from our work.

Thriving Kids presents a significant opportunity to develop an integrated early childhood development system that puts best practice and families at the centre.

Translating the system vision into practical reality within local jurisdictional service systems will be a significant undertaking.

We urge governments to build on strengths in the existing early childhood development system and to work with families, communities and service providers to design its implementation.

To guide the development of Thriving Kids, BSL developed four questions:

1. How can the money stretch to best meet demand?

2. How can Thriving Kids be equitable and able to be accessed by families who typically face the most barriers to support?

3. How can families be directed to the support that best meets their needs, without overloading the system – and without families falling between cracks at the interface of different systems?

4. How can the system transition, learn and adapt?