Health Inequities in Early Childhood Development

Health Inequities and Early Childhood Development

• Fair Foundations Framework: Developed by VicHealth in 2013, adapted from WHO’s social determinants framework, addressing three layers of influence: socioeconomic, political, and cultural context; daily living conditions; individual health-related factors.
• Social Gradient: Children's health outcomes improve with increasing socioeconomic status, resulting in significant inequalities in health status across different population groups.
• Impact of Early Years: Socially produced inequities begin to affect health and development from early childhood, influencing lifelong health, achievements, and longevity.
• Intervention Challenges: While intensive interventions can improve conditions for disadvantaged children, they rarely close the gap between the best and worst-off families.
• Access to Services: Families most in need of services often encounter barriers to access, potentially worsening health inequities in early childhood.
• Multi-Faceted Approach Needed: Reducing early childhood inequities requires:
  • Effective governance and decision-making policies that ensure access to quality services.
  • Flexible, stable workplace environments for parents.
  • Collaborative service systems reflecting proportionate universalism and delivering evidence-based programs inclusively.
  • Strong community support systems and timely assistance for parents to foster confidence and support.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Inequities: Differences in health status that are avoidable and unfair, often based on social position.
• Proportionate Universalism: A principle where universal services are adjusted to address varying levels of need among different population groups.

Primary Contributors

• Timothy G. Moore, Myfanwy McDonald, Leanne Carlon, Kerryn O’Rourke involved in research hosted by Murdoch Children's Research Institute and VicHealth in Australia.