Strategic Direction 1: Children with Disability have the Best Start in Life

The National Disability Agreement (NDA) forward work plan outlines six broad strategic directions that need to be pursued to transform the service system into a sustainable, equitable and effective system that can meet future challenges. The strategic directions aim to strengthen connections with mainstream services and community life, which is a key focus of the NDA and the proposed National Disability Strategy.

This paper examines the first NDA strategic direction: Children with a disability have the best start in life through educational opportunities, health care and social development, and their families are supported to fulfil their caring role.  This paper identifies opportunities through key national initiatives in health and early childhood education that could contribute to outcomes for this strategic direction under the NDA.   

This paper recommends a set of eight principles critical for the participation of children with a disability in mainstream services. The inclusion of these principles in progressing national reform initiatives in health and early childhood education and care will ensure that children with a disability have the best start in life.