The research was commissioned by the Australian Government to contribute to the evidence base underpinning the Commonwealth Early Years Strategy.
Evidence-based practice is manifested in markedly different approaches across the six countries selected for this review, i.e., Canada, Chile, Estonia, Finland, United Kingdom and Singapore. The early years systems applicable for each country build upon (and/or are constrained by) prevailing legacy structures, power dynamics and deeply held mental models about children in the early years, their families, and their communities.
International research literature cautions against trying to directly transfer approaches from one country to another country, however notes that broad consideration of familiar issues from new perspectives can be useful. Accordingly, this paper provides a high-level descriptive account of early years systems in six selected countries as a potential source of ‘policy learning’ for Australia but does not critique those arrangements, nor does it provide recommendations.