Evidence-based Lead Indicators to Drive Equitable Early Years Services: Findings from the Restacking the Odds Study

Children living in adversity are disproportionately affected by inequities in early childhood health and education service delivery, leading to differential outcomes that track into adulthood. Previous research has demonstrated the inconsistency, lack of effectiveness, and harm that human services can cause across the social sector when service delivery is poor. A significant factor preventing equitable responses to performance challenges is the lack of relevant data. In both health and education sectors there is an over-reliance on outcome or lag indicators; necessary but not sufficient to drive change. Evidence-based process or lead indicators can provide a standardised approach to service improvement that allow communities, health and education professionals, governments, and policymakers to create sustainable systems change, reduce unjust equity gaps and reduce the costs associated with poor service provision. The Restacking the Odds (RSTO) ‘proof of concept’ project aimed to address some of the data limitations practitioners and policy-makers face as they make decisions affecting early years services in Australia. An actionable, evidence-based framework of lead indicators for quality, quantity, and participation across five early years services was derived from the literature. These are summarised in this paper together with the subsequent data collected and analysed against these indicators in seven Australian communities.