This paper, and the work of the Strong Foundations Partnership in general, is designed to bring a new level of rigour to policy setting and investments in Australia’s children and young people, most particularly, by focusing not just on effectiveness for the child, but value for the community as a whole.

This research paper highlights the astonishing rates of child development from conception to the end of age two and the benefits of a holistic approach to children’s health.

This abridged version summarises the key concepts outlined in the full paper; namely, the evidence for the biological, global, social, ecological, and individual factors that are reshaping our understanding of the first 1000 days of a child's development.