The federal government will hold a summit on early childhood as it eyes potential change to the public service's delivery of programs affecting children aged younger than five.
Social Service Minister Amanda Rishworth and Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly will announce on Friday the government will invite 100 people including industry leaders and experts to its Early Years Summit, to be held in Parliament House in February, focusing on Australian children.
The summit will shape a new strategy to be formed by the government on policies and programs for early childhood at a cost of $4.2 million.
Minister Rishworth said the strategy will set out the government's plan to support Australia's children and their families in the early years.
"It will be the blueprint for allowing children in Australia to thrive," she said.
"Our national summit in particular will help start a conversation on how to best support Australia's children and their families in the early years."
Research has shown the brain develops the most from birth until five-years-old, making the early childhood years vital for future development.
The Labor government promised the development of a strategy during the election campaign, which included reducing the cost of child care.
Among potential changes could be the way programs and funding for early childhood are managed and coordinated across the public service.
Responsibilities are currently shared across the Education, Social Services and Health departments, and the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
Reforms could focus on breaking funding and policy siloes and improving coordination across agencies.
The summit, to be held on February 17, will include industry leaders and experts from the early childhood sector, and families.
Minister Aly said the Summit will help provide Aussie kids with tools to thrive in the future.
"A lot goes into raising a happy and healthy child, that's why we want to hear from families, early childhood educators and other experts," she said.
The summit will also hear from relevant departments including Treasury, Prime Minister and Cabinet, Health, Education, Attorney-General's and the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
A new 14-member expert advisory panel will also inform the strategy. It will include Director of Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne Professor Sharon Goldfeld, former yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins, National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds and Telethon Kids Institute patron Professor Fiona Stanley.
Professor Stanley said supporting children in early childhood improves health and wellbeing over their lifetime.
"Effective early childhood services need to involve collaborative and well-coordinated government bureaucracies across all those departments (federal, state and local) that are responsible for creating better communities for children," she said.
Members of the public will also be able to participate, with surveys, public submissions, roundtables, local engagement and consultation from January 2023.
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