Policy options to grow childhood food security

Our Early Years team has collaborated to write a journal article outlining ways to move beyond short-term relief towards structural changes to Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings for early childhood food security.

The current cost of living crisis is exacerbating food insecurity among Australia’s families, with an estimated 42% of households with young children facing reduced food quality, quantity and variety, or food scarcity. This food insecurity in early childhood has an impact on a child’s health, development and long-term life outcomes.

By the time they go to school, 90% of Australian children will attend Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services of some kind. This presents a critical opportunity to ensure children get adequate nutrition in their early years.

The paper, Early childhood food and nutrition security: Policy pathways to reduce hunger, published in Children Australia, outlines the role of an ECEC service as a strategic intervention point and highlights the need for comprehensive reforms across income support, food provision, monitoring and place-based solutions.

The Australian Government continues to invest heavily in ECEC, promising access to at least three days of subsidised ECEC for every child. Yet children cannot access the benefits of a high-quality ECEC system if their basic food needs are not met.

“Children can consume between 50 and 75% of their daily nutrition requirements during the ECEC day, presenting a powerful opportunity to address hunger and food insecurity in the early years,” says Emma Sydenham, Director, Early Childhood, and one of the authors.

“A strategic and equitable approach to ECEC could ensure all Australian children have basic food needs met on the days they attend ECEC services.”

The article was developed by SVA’s Early Years team in collaboration with partners at Queensland Brain Institute, Australian National University, Edith Cowan University, and Foodbank Queensland.