Final report to the Partner Organisations for the Effective Early Education Experiences (E4Kids) Study

The Effective Early Educational Experiences (E4Kids) study was conceived almost a decade ago, after the release of Starting Strong II: the OECD Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) provision (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2006). Since then, governments across Australia expanded investments in early childhood provision, both to promote the development of young children and to address women’s labour market participation. Since 2007, Australia also transformed its policy approach through the implementation of a National Quality Framework (NQF). The NQF aims to improve educational and developmental outcomes for children through their participation in ECEC programs. Longitudinal evidence on the transformative power of high-quality programs to raise the outcomes of young children, especially of children living in disadvantaged circumstances, was a key driver.