This evidence review harnesses the lessons learned from failures and successes in applying systems thinking across sectors and outlines a number of potential ways forward for an accelerated early childhood development equity ecosystem.

The evidence review is a collaboration of Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Early Childhood Development Action Network. The project was funded by Porticus. 

This report was prepared by the Centre for Community Child Health for the Australian Government Department of Social Services. It provides a summary of evidence relating to the long-term impacts of school readiness on health and wellbeing, information about the Play2Learn+ program and the cost-benefits of investing in early childhood programs.

Author: Dr. Tim Moore and Noushin Arefadib

The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment engaged the Centre for Community Child Health to review the impacts of COVID-19 on children 0-5 years. The report covers detailed findings as well as the impact of disruptions to ECEC attendance.

Core care conditions for children and families: Implications for integrated child and family services 

Summary paper

Prepared for the Social Ventures Australia, this is the first of two papers exploring the potential of holistic, integrated early learning service models for improving outcomes for young children and their families who are experiencing vulnerability. The paper reviews what is known about the core needs of children, parents and families, the conditions that parents need to be able to meet the needs of their children, and how well the service system is meeting those needs.

Paper author: Dr. Tim Moore

Developing holistic integrated early learning services for young children and families experiencing socio-economic vulnerability

Summary paper

Prepared for the Social Ventures Australia, this is the second of two papers exploring the potential of holistic, integrated early learning service models for improving outcomes for young children and their families who are experiencing vulnerability. 

The paper reviews national and international examples of holistic, integrated early learning programs for young children and their families experiencing socio-economic vulnerability.

Paper author: Dr. Tim Moore

July, 2019 

The Centre for Community Child Health was commissioned to provide the City with a summary of the most significant evidence to inform the Children's Services policy, with a particular focus on early childhood education services (birth to 5), playgroups, and access to toys, especially for children from vulnerable families.

This paper provides a synthesis of the evidence on effective early childhood, family support and parenting services. 

Paper authors: Prepared for the City of Port Phillip by Dr. Tim Moore

Keynote address at joint Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA) and International Society on Early Intervention (ISEI) Conference 2019.

This presentation reports on some of the findings of a review of the impact of the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) on best practice in Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services, and explores the conditions needed by parents to make choices that are most likely to achieve the outcomes they want for their children, themselves and their families. The presentation concludes by considering the implications for ECI practitioners and the NDIS itself.

Paper author: Dr. Tim Moore

October, 2018

Strengthening Evidence-Use in Practice: An Evidence-Informed Decision-Making Framework 

This framework is a decision-making or service-delivery framework to guide practitioners who work with parents and caregivers. The framework involves a series of nine steps, underpinned by five common factors. The steps follow a sequence that begins with engaging parents and understanding their values and priorities. 

This document was prepared for and is published by Berry Street’s Childhood Institute and is also available on their website at https://www.childhoodinstitute.org.au/resources/strengthening-evidence-use-practice-evidence-informed-decision-making-framework

Framework author: Dr. Tim Moore. 

August, 2018

Now and Next is an innovative group program developed by Plumtree Children’s Services that helps parents and carers of young children with a disability or developmental delay cultivate skills to achieve positive outcomes for their child, family and self. It teaches families about setting goals and provides them with opportunities to connect with other families to inform, support and motivate each other to aim high and see new opportunities for their child now and in the future. 

The Centre for Community Child Health was commissioned by Plumtree to undertake a process and outcomes evaluation of the Now and Next program. The evaluation looked at data for the 15 Now and Next groups that were run between January 2017 to March 2018 and involved 154 families of young children birth to eight years old who have disabilities or a developmental delay.

Paper authors: Dr. Tim Moore, Maria Fong and Sophie Rushton. 

Prepared for the B4 Early Years Coalition and the Tasmanian Government Department of Education, this research analysis is a key component of the Tasmanian Core Story of Early Childhood Project. The project aims to increase understanding of the importance of the early years in Tasmania through consistent messaging that engages and promotes action for the time from conception until 4 years of age (B4). 

Paper authors: Noushin Arefadib and Dr. Tim Moore

The developmental period from conception to the end of the child’s second year has become known as the first 1000 days, a catchphrase that has become the rallying point for a number of Australian and international initiatives. This paper briefly summarises the growing body of evidence which shows that experiences before and during this period can have life-long consequences for health and well-being. 

This new narrative has profound implications for public health, but unpacking the public health implications has proved challenging. There is a real danger of overstating the nature and importance of the first 1000 days, and also of oversimplifying the messages. Competing values can also shape the ways in which the evidence is interpreted. The presentation considers some of these challenges, and discusses implications for future action.

This paper is based on an invited address given at the DOHaD ANZ Conference 2018, Sydney, NSW, 20^th July.  

Paper authors: Dr. Tim Moore 

The success of efforts by professionals to engage parents depend upon the nature of the relationships that are established between the professionals and the parents. This paper explores what such relationships involve, and what is known about the nature of effective relationship-based partnerships. Convergent evidence from a variety of sources (including the neurobiology of interpersonal relations) indicate that the way in which services are delivered – the manner in which professionals engage parents – is as important as what is delivered. This evidence also suggests that effective relationships have universal properties, including authenticity. The key features of authentic engagement are described, and the challenges in establishing authentic relationships are explored. 

This paper is based on a keynote address given at the ARACY Parent Engagement Conference – Maximising every child’s potential – Melbourne, 7 June, 2017.

Paper author: Dr Tim Moore.

The First Thousand Days: An Evidence Paper

Summary paper

The ‘first thousand days’ refers to the period of development from conception to age 2. While early years experts have long been aware that this is an important period of development, researchers have only recently started to unlock some of the mysteries surrounding the processes by which genes, experiences and environments interact to influence development. New knowledge that has been unveiled has served to increase experts’ views of the significance of the first thousand days, and of the urgent need to reform our policies, practices and systems in response to the evidence.

The Evidence Paper was prepared by the Centre for Community Child Health for the Strong Foundations: Getting it Right in the First 1000 Days initiative. 

Paper authors: Dr Tim Moore, Ms Noushin Arefadib, Dr Alana Deery and Ms Sue West.

The Centre for Community Child Health conducted a review for Royal Far West to inform a systematic approach toward improving access to health services and health outcomes for children living in rural and remote Australia. The Report: 1) profiled the population characteristics of children in rural and remote Australia; 2) identified the current context and the developmental health needs, met and unmet, of vulnerable children and families in rural and remote Australia; and 3) provided an evidence-based overview of what is causing the status quo, and what is most effective in addressing these issues.  

Paper authors: Ms Noushin Arefadib and Dr Tim Moore.

The Melbourne Children’s Knowledge Translation and Research Impact Project. Final Report: A Framework for Action. 

This Final Report is one of four publications resulting from  The Melbourne Children’s Knowledge Translation and Research Impact Project. The Melbourne Children’s Knowledge Translation and Research Impact Framework, and the findings and recommendations in the Final Report are based on an analysis of the Discussion Paper, Environmental Scan and Consultation Report. This data was supplemented and informed by internal and external review throughout the Project. The Framework is applied to selected campus knowledge translation case studies, and key findings and recommendations propose action to enhance knowledge translation and research impact at Melbourne Children’s.

Paper authors: Ms Vikki Leone, Ms Louise Modica and Ms Sue West.

In late 2016 a survey was sent to all registered primary school and early childhood teachers in NSW to identify their professional learning requirements in relation to supporting their student’s health and wellbeing. A report prepared by CCCH for the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) presents the responses from this survey which identifies the current levels of knowledge, attitude and skills of teachers, and how professional development might be designed in the future. 

Paper authors: Ms Catriona Elek, Dr. Jon Quach, Dr. Tim Moore, Ms Sue West, Professor Sharon Goldfeld, Ms Leonie Symes and Professor Frank Oberklaid.

Exploring the impact of community hubs on school readiness

Summary paper

This report explores the impact of community hubs on children’s school readiness through a rapid review of the relevant research evidence, case study inquiry and analysis against the research evidence.

Paper authors: Ms Sophie Rushton, Ms Rebecca Fry, Dr Tim Moore, Ms Noushin Arefadib and Ms Sue West.

This Discussion Paper is one of four publications resulting from The Melbourne Children’s Knowledge Translation and Research Impact Project. The Discussion Paper identifies evidence and best practice in health and medical research translation. It seeks to align key concepts with the broader vision and strategy of the Melbourne Children’s by addressing the following questions:

• How are research translation and knowledge translation defined?
• What are the core concepts of knowledge translation?
• What is the relationship between knowledge translation and research impact?
• Where does research impact fit within the context of Melbourne Children’s?
• What impact measurement framework will help us understand and conceptualise knowledge translation and inform our approach to enhancing and measuring research impact?

Paper authors: Dr Tim Moore, Dr Tamika Heiden, Ms Vikki Leone and Ms Sue West.

The Melbourne Children’s Knowledge Translation and Research Impact Project. Environmental Scan: Implications of the External Environment for Knowledge Translation and Research Impact at Melbourne Children’s

This Environmental Scan is one of four publications resulting from The Melbourne Children’s Knowledge Translation and Research Impact Project. The Environmental Scan captures the changing landscape of research policy and funding in Australia. It identifies four relevant consultation and review processes, and their potential implications for Melbourne Children’s.

Paper authors: Dr Tamika Heiden, Ms Vikki Leone and Ms Sue West.

A publication of Dr Tim Moore’s keynote presentation at the 12th Biennial National Conference of Early Childhood Intervention Australia, Melbourne on the 8th of September, 2018.

Paper author: Dr Tim Moore 

This Consultation Report is one of four publications resulting from  The Melbourne Children’s Knowledge Translation and Research Impact Project. The Consultation Report summarises data collected from external experts, campus leaders and staff. The consultations captured a range of perspectives about the prevailing funding environment, knowledge translation, key considerations, and opportunities and challenges for advancing research impact.

Paper authors: Ms Maria Fong, Ms Sophie Rushton and Ms Sue West.

Engaging and partnering with vulnerable families and communities: The keys to effective place-based approaches

This presentation seeks to understand the most effective ways of engaging vulnerable and marginalised families and communities.

Paper author: Dr Tim Moore.

This working paper critiques common interpretations of evidence-based practice, concluding that it is properly understood as multidimensional service delivery model that integrates evidence from several sources. Based on this understanding, the paper outlines a nine-step evidence-informed decision-making framework.   

Paper author: Dr Tim Moore.

This paper unpacks the evidence for the efficacy of a community engagement process that sees service providers seek out community values, concerns and aspirations, and incorporate them into their decision-making processes. 

The Queensland Platforms Project final report details the project’s implementation and evaluation, highlighting its achievements, strengths, challenges and recommendations.

Paper authors: Ms Sue West, Ms Leonie Symes and Ms Kylie Johnstone.

Paper authors: Professor Frank Oberklaid, Ms Sue West, Ms Megan Keyes.

Review of Enhanced Maternal and Child Health: Brief Advisory Paper 

Prepared for the Victorian Department of Education and Training, this paper provides advice on a proposed conceptual framework for the Enhanced Maternal and Child Health service.

Paper authors: Professor Sharon Goldfeld, Dr. Tim Moore and Dr. Karen McLean

This paper, prepared for VicHealth, reviews the evidence on early childhood development and the social determinants of health inequities.

Paper authors: Dr Tim Moore, Dr Myfanwy McDonald and Ms Harriet McHugh-Dillon.

This paper explores the implications of social change and new knowledge for mainstream and specialist early childhood services, and considers how we can create fully inclusive environments for all children. 

In June 2015, the Australian Government Department of Social Services released a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) on the Child Care Assistance Package, followed by a consultation process. The Centre for Community Child Health’s response to the RIS focused on the Activity Test Criteria, Additional Child Care Subsidy, Community Child Care Fund and the new Inclusion Support Programme.

Paper authors: Ms Megan Keyes and Ms Sue West.

In June 2015, the Victorian Government commenced a consultation process on how best to build the Education State in Victoria. The Centre for Community Child Health’s response outlines current challenges within the system and emphasises the need for reform, particularly at the health/education interface.

Paper authors: Professor Frank Oberklaid, Associate Professor Sharon Goldfeld, Ms Sue West and Ms Megan Keyes.

In 2009, the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation recognised the need for a concurrent strategy to support the rollout of the state Government’s Child and Family Centre Project (CFC). This paper attempts to capture the main elements  of the journey undertaken through the Learning &  Development Strategy, and to document s me the many learnings along the way.  

Paper authors: Prichard, P., O’Byrne, M., & Jenkins, S.

Invited plenary presentation at Malaysian 5^th National Early Childhood Intervention Conference, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, 4^thJune

Invited plenary presentation on at Malaysian 5^th National Early Childhood Intervention Conference, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, 7^thJune.

Invited presentation at Early Childhood Intervention - Future Opportunities forum hosted by Early Childhood Intervention Australia (Western Australia), Perth, 22nd October.

Paper author: Dr. Tim Moore

NDIS Briefing paper. Canberra, ACT: National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Prepared for Lentara UnitingCare

Paper authors: Talya Mathews, Rachel Robinson and Pallavi Yagnik, Centre for Community Child Health

Prepared by:

Rachel Robinson, Centre for Community Child Health and Clare Jennings and Harriet McHugh-Dillon, Nutshell words & ideas for the Centre for Community Child Health

Author: Moore, T.G.

This paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of both the current system of early childhood intervention services and the current system of mainstream early childhood and family support services.

It also highlights the need for collective effort to build a universal early childhood service system from the ground up.