Professor Frank Oberklaid spoke to the Educhange Podcast on 3 March 2018 about the importance of children’s early years and how we can all play a part in giving children the best start to life.
“The evidence about the years before a child starts formal schooling is now very robust, uncontested”.
Professor Oberklaid discussed his work at the interface between health and education.
“The health-education interfaced is really intertwined…you can’t have education without health and you can’t have health without education,” Professor Frank Oberklaid said.
He calls on an increased investment in the early years, explaining the the earlier you invest, the greater the yield.
“Investing in early childhood is the best economic invention a country can make,” he said.
Professor Oberklaid also explained that achieving change for children and families requires investment as well as data, evidence and relationships.