WHY THE FIRST 1,000 DAYS MATTER
A strong future starts early
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from pregnancy through approximately age two, shape lifelong health, learning and wellbeing. Children do not grow in isolation. They grow within families, and families are shaped by the support systems around them. When those systems work well, families can receive the right support at the right time. When they do not, pressures can compound, particularly for families experiencing disadvantage. Strengthening support early gives children a stronger start, improves family life and contributes to healthier future generations, stronger communities and a more resilient Australia.
WHAT SEED FUTURES DOES
We connect family experience with government action.
Families experience the support system in ways that reports, policies and individual services cannot always reveal. SEED Futures creates a rigorous feedback loop between those experiences and the people making decisions about the systems around them.
- Listen – We listen with care, respect and rigour to families in their context, understanding their experiences, challenges and ideas.
- Translate – We turn what we hear into clear insights about what is working, what is not and what needs to improve.
- Prioritise – We organise those insights into clear, credible and can-do priorities government can act on.
Family experience → Listen → Translate → Prioritise → Government action
WHY THIS MATTERS TO GOVERNMENT
Family experience becomes strategic intelligence.
Government is making complex decisions about policies, services and investment that affect families every day. SEED Futures helps make those decisions clearer. By listening closely to families and connecting their experience with evidence, we help government understand where support is working, where families are experiencing difficulty and where practical changes could strengthen the system. The result is not simply more stories or another report. It is clear, credible and can-do priorities government can apply.
THE LONG-TERM VALUE
Supporting families earlier is good for families, and smart for Australia
Stronger support during the first 1,000 days can contribute to:
- Families supported earlier – Parents and caregivers receive the right support at the right time.
- Children with a stronger start – Children have stronger foundations for lifelong health, development and learning.
- Healthier future generations – Early support contributes to better long-term health, education and wellbeing.
- Stronger communities – Improved wellbeing supports greater social connection and participation.
- Lower future pressure on services – Better early support can reduce future demand across government systems.
- A stronger Australia – Investing earlier in families contributes to long-term social and economic resilience.
CURRENT WORK
Turning evidence into action
National Primary Preventative Framework
The National Primary Preventative Framework makes the case for prioritising the first 1,000 days through earlier investment, genuine collaboration and a stronger focus on prevention. Developed by SEED Futures in partnership with the Sydney Policy Lab, it brings together lived experience, evidence and policy expertise to provide a practical direction for strengthening support around families.
Explore the FrameworkNEWS
Launch of the National Primary Prevention Framework
Friday, 20 Feb 2026 at Admiralty House Acknowledgements: Jakelyn Troy – thank you for your stupendous work on preservation and teaching of Aboriginal language across the country. I hope[...]
Read moreNew Plan to Address Growing Number of Australian Children Growing Up in Poverty
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12 am 20 FEBRUARY 2026 New Plan to Address Growing Number of Australian Children Growing Up in PovertyAs pressure on families and public systems intensify, a new[...]
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SEED Futures National Primary Preventative Framework
SEED Futures National Primary Preventative Framework We are proud to launch the National Primary Preventative Framework at Admiralty House on 20 February 2026. This Framework comes at a critical[...]
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“Prevention is almost always cheaper, almost always more effective and always more humane than repairing.”
Bernadette Black AM, CEO of SEED Futures
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