Our vision for the early childhood sector
The best chance to change lifelong outcomes for children is to change what happens in early childhood. Despite this, our system does not have the appropriate conditions, supports or services for all children to thrive.
SVA’s Young Children Thriving program seeks to transform the early childhood development landscape. We are designing a more proactive and responsive early years system that provides families experiencing vulnerability with the right supports, when they need them.
Our vision is for an Australia where all children, regardless of where they live or the challenges their family face, have the opportunities and supports they need to thrive.
What is the issue with Australia's early childhood system?
Children should have every opportunity for the best start in life. Yet, this is far from a reality for many children in Australia today.
Research has identified the key drivers of better outcomes for children. Sadly, our system fails to provide targeted, high quality and accessible supports to ensure those drivers are there for the children who need them most.
1 in 6
Australian children live in poverty10x
more likely for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to live in out of home care than their non-Indigenous counterparts22%
of children in Australia are developmentally vulnerable when they start school*45%
of children admitted into out-of-home care in 2017-2018 were aged birth to 417%
of family support and child protection funding was invested in early intervention**16 billion
is spent by Government every year on high-intensity and crisis services as a result of intervening too late*increasing to 33% for children living in areas of socio-economically disadvantage and 44% for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
**in 2017-2018 ($999 million), compared with $4.8 billion spent on child protection and out of home care
What are we doing?
Together with our partners, we are orchestrating several ambitious initiatives to drive impact across the system.
Nurture Together
Mobilising integrated child and family centres to transcend disadvantage
This initiative supports children experiencing vulnerability to have timely access to the wrap-around supports they need to start school as healthy, strong and confident learners.
SVA are exploring the enormous potential that holistic, integrated early learning service models could have. We believe they can fill an important gap in the early years environment for people experiencing disadvantage.
SNAICC Early Years Support
Transforming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access to quality early learning
SVA has partnered with SNAICC –National Voice for our Children to develop the National Early Years Support (EYS, formerly THRYVE) Pilot project. EYS is growing, supporting and representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations across Australia to deliver more and stronger early years services for children, families and communities.
EYS is establishing three state-wide intermediaries in NSW, WA and Victoria. They will provide direct supports, professional services, and a collective voice for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early years sector.
Early Years Catalyst
Redressing the root causes and systemic forces that drive disadvantage in the early years
The Early Years Catalyst (EYC) is a bold national coalition working to disrupt and transform the early years landscape. Our goal is to redesign the system and redress entrenched mindsets to drive better outcomes for children experiencing disadvantage.
SVA is one of the 12 founding members of the EYC, and currently hosts the backbone team. The EYC is co-chaired by The Front Project and ARACY.
News & Events
Thank you to our program partners and joint initiative funders
Program Partners
Alan and Gillian Gray Philanthropy (AGGPA)
Alexandra Wenderoth and Daniel Beer
The Antipodean Family Foundation
Berg Family Foundation
The BHP Foundation
Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation
The Bryan Foundation
Chris and Kathy Harrop
The Graf family
Heather and William Webster, AM
J. Permsew Foundation
Magnolia Foundation
The Wiggs Family Foundation
Joint Initiative Funding Partners:
The Australian Government
GNS Ceramics
The Ian Potter Foundation
King Wood Mallesons
The Lowitja Foundation
Paul Ramsay Foundation
To become involved
We continue to seek bold funding partners to work with us to achieve outcomes associated with this work.
Reach out if you would like to work with us to help transform the early childhood development landscape for children experiencing vulnerability.
Contact us now
Our Team
Emma Sydenham
Director, Early ChildhoodEmma is the Director of Early Childhood at Social Ventures Australia (SVA).
Contact Emma
Caitlin Graham
Associate Director, Early ChildhoodCaitlin is an Associate Director, Early Childhood at SVA.
Contact Caitlin
Brie Handcock
Program and Communications Officer, Early ChildhoodBrie is a Program and Communications Officer, Early Childhood at SVA
Contact Brie
Geoff Sharp
Early Years Catalyst LeadGeoff is the Systems Lead, Early Childhood Development at SVA.
Contact Geoff
Karen Kennedy
Director, Philanthropy and PartnershipsKaren is the Director, Philanthropy and Partnerships at Social Ventures Australia (SVA).
Contact Karen