The First Five Years website aims to create a collaborative community of parents, professionals and educators to share insights and experiences about the early years and help meet the challenges of raising young children.

The first five years of a child’s life are profoundly important to a child’s development and they pass so quickly that they can seem like just a moment.

Parents often share many of the same challenges. First Five Years gives parents the advice, support and tools they need to make the most of the first years of their child’s life. It represents a celebration of the early years of life and the remarkable journey that children and parents take together.

First Five Years wants to empower parents in a positive, real-world and non-judgemental way.

The site is supported by Goodstart Early Learning, a not-for-profit social enterprise, which exists purely to improve the lives of children and their families.

Goodstart was founded on a vision of giving children the best possible start in life through access to quality early learning.

Goodstart was formed in 2009 thanks to a unique combination of private, public and leading community sector organisations – The Benevolent Society, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Mission Australia, and Social Ventures Australia. Goodstart operates 671 early learning centres in all states and territories of Australia, caring for 70,700 children from 59,200 families and employing 14,900 people.

Goodstart is a social enterprise. It reaches out to all families and communities, especially those facing disadvantage, embraces and celebrates diversity and speaks up for those children and families at risk of being left behind.

First Five Years shares Goodstart’s vision, purpose and guiding principles.

Vision

For Australia’s children to have the best possible start in life.

Firstfiveyears.org.au acknowledges that a parent is a child’s primary teacher and empowers parents with information so that children can benefit from high quality care and the extension of early learning into the home. 

Purpose

To ensure children have the learning, development and wellbeing outcomes they need for school and life.

Firstfiveyears.org.au is a social purpose venture aimed at educating parents on the value of early learning and providing parents with the knowledge that supports the wellbeing and development of their children.

Guiding Principles

Children are central to everything we do. Families are our primary partner. Being a valued member of the community.

Firstfiveyears.org.au extends Goodstart’s social purpose beyond families in care, benefiting a wider community of children and their families through access to quality early learning information, tools and support.