Overview
What is the first 1000 days?
The period between conception and the end of the second year of life – the first 1000 days – is the most rapid period of development in one’s life.
While early years experts have long been aware of this important period of development, researchers have only recently started to unlock some of the mysteries surrounding the processes by which genes, experiences and environments interact to influence development.
New knowledge that has been unveiled suggests an urgent need to reform our policies, practices and systems in response to the evidence.
The evidence
In 2016, the Centre was part of the Strong Foundations: Getting it Right in the First 1000 Days collaboration which aimed to optimise support for children in the first 1000 days by raising awareness and affecting change in policy, practice and parenting.
As experts in research and evidence synthesis, the Centre collated and analysed evidence of the factors that influence development in the first 1000 days across a considerable range of sectors and disciplines. The evidence revealed that there are multiple influences on children’s development, starting from pre-conception, and at the level of the individual child, the family, the community and broader society.
The findings were synthesised into an evidence paper and a range of related resources.
Our team
Partners and funders
Strong Foundations: Getting it Right in the First 1000 Days was a collaboration between the Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, Bupa Australia, the Bupa Health Foundation and PwC Australia.
Resources
- The First Thousand Days: An Evidence Paper and The First Thousand Days: An Evidence Paper – Summary: a robust foundation of evidence to support strong, well targeted investments in the health and wellbeing of Australia’s children.
- The First Thousand Days infographic: a visual snapshot of the key findings from the first thousand days evidence.
- Policy Brief: The First One Thousand Days – Our Greatest Opportunity: a paper to facilitate greater policymaker understanding of the evidence and its implications.
- The First 1000 Days: A Case for Investment. Led by PwC Australia, this paper used economic modelling to illustrate the potential benefits to society of improving outcomes for children during the first 1000 days.
Presentations
Watch Dr Tim Moore, lead author of The First Thousand Days: An Evidence Paper, deliver two presentations exploring the first 1000 days evidence.