Our Focus Areas

System

We need to simplify and re-envision the systems that support families.

Drawing on lived experience and an analysis of pathways and costs, SEED will work across sectors and government to build the case for different policy approaches.

This will inform a reimagined system with universal and targeted elements, developed with the individual and family at the centre.

Prevention

We need people on the ground creating pathways to opportunity.

Primary prevention for children and parents across the first 1000 days is meeting the needs of the parent and child before disadvantage takes hold. The focus is on addressing social factors that influence health and well-being before problems arise. Social primary prevention during the first 1,000 days (from conception to age two) focuses on creating a supportive environment that promotes the well-being of both the mother and child, aiming to prevent social and health issues before they develop. It targets key social factors that can affect health outcomes during this critical period.

Examples of social primary prevention during the first 1,000 days include:

1. Support for Expecting Mothers: Providing access to prenatal care, education, and emotional support to reduce stress and ensure the mother’s well-being.
2. Reducing Poverty: Addressing financial insecurity through social safety nets, such as parental leave and financial assistance, to ensure families have the resources they need to support their child’s development.
3. Access to Healthcare: Ensuring that pregnant women and young children have access to regular healthcare, including immunizations, to prevent health problems.
4. Promoting Breastfeeding: Encouraging and supporting breastfeeding, which not only provides optimal nutrition but also strengthens the mother-child bond and protects against social health disparities.
5. Creating Safe Environments: Ensuring the family has a safe home and community environment, free from violence or neglect, which is vital for the child’s emotional and physical development.

By addressing these social factors early on, primary prevention can help reduce risks of poor health, inequality, and social challenges for both the mother and child throughout life, and for future generations.

Funding

We need long-term thinking to fund viable support systems.

We need to raise ourselves above election and budget cycles and ensure efforts are put to system navigation and support rather than chasing funding. By understanding where costs currently sit, we can develop an approach to funding that goes across portfolios.