Submission to the Early Years Strategy Consultation

In April 2023, Mental Health Australia made a submission to the Early Years Strategy Consultation, that has now been published on the consultation website. The submission makes the case for a significant focus within the Early Years Strategy on young child and parental mental health and wellbeing.  The submission calls for the Strategy and associated Implementation Action Plans to include clearly delineated roles and responsibilities for implementation, adequate investment for implementation and robust governance structures, including mechanisms to ensure accountability for implementation and achieving the Strategy’s outcomes. It also highlights the need for the Strategy to include measurement of young child and parental mental health and wellbeing outcomes. In addition, the submission expresses the importance of lived experience engagement throughout development and implementation of the Strategy.