The Australian and state and territory governments are committed to the development of a national Early Years Learning Framework, and a process of consultation with the early childhood sector about the nature and content of the Framework is currently being undertaken. This Policy Brief is designed to provide policy makers and practitioners with an orientation...

Starting school is an exciting but also potentially stressful time for children and families alike. It is one of the key transition points during childhood. All such transitions are known to be times of particular vulnerability for young children, when earlier developmental and social progress is placed at risk. A successful transition to school is...

This brief focuses on what the research tells us about the nature of and pathways to school readiness. It emphasises the importance of schools, services and communities supporting children and families and providing the conditions and experiences needed to ensure that all children reach school able to take advantage of the academic and social learning...

Fathers' roles have changed in recent years to include more care of their children. Services are, as a result, looking for ways to recruit and involve fathers. Incorporating fathers into established family-related services, however, has not proved to be straightforward. Everything from publicity, opening hours, referral procedures and staff training has required rethinking or reviewing...

This research paper surveys the major constitutional issues relating to Northern Territory statehood and gives an indication of the complexities and nuances involved. It discusses the application of Commonwealth legislation to the Territory after statehood and provides background on the Northern Territory’s constitutional development and the statehood timeline. The major constitutional issues relating to statehood...