“It takes a village to raise a child.”While the exact origins of the proverb are disputed most scholars believe it stems from a variety of African cultures. Communities where the general meaning is ‘that an entire community of people must provide for, and interact positively, with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment.’ At a time when the safety, security and innocence of young Australians is in the news for truly horrific reasons, how our communities support, nurture and embrace children in a positive and safe way has never been more important. Last month the Department of Social Services published more than 300 submissions that were made to the Early Years Strategy, as part of a community consultation to help shape its vision for the future of Australia’s children and their families. Recognised child services advocates like the Alannah & Madeline Foundation highlighted the findings just released by the Australian Child Maltreatment Study: Where a survey of 8,500 adult Australians found that child maltreatment was ‘endemic’. And that before the age of 18: • 32% of Australians experienced physical abuse • 28.5% experienced sexual abuse • 30.9% experienced emotional abuse • 8.9% experienced neglect • 39.6% witnessed domestic violence against another family member. The intersection with early years, parental support and mental health is so important when it comes to prevention and early intervention. Like many, our Mental Health Australia submission highlighted how the early years can provide an opportunity to set the foundations for good mental health throughout life. The basis of our seven recommendations to the Early Years Strategy are to ensure the Australian Government seizes this opportunity to make a profound difference in the lives of Australia’s young children. To do this, it is imperative that there are strong accountability mechanisms in place, to ensure that the Strategy achieves its intended outcomes. This means the Strategy must clearly articulate roles and responsibilities for implementation, that there is adequate investment for implementation, and that the reporting mechanisms enable regular and transparent tracking of progress and achievement of outcomes. Mental Health Australia looks forward to continuing to contribute to the Early Years Strategy throughout its development and will always continue to strive for a vision of mentally healthy communities, and villages to help raise our children. Have a good weekend. Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia
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