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Early Start

Early Start

This is the place where curiosity rules

The UOW Early Start Institute operates within the Faculty of Arts, Society and Business. Early Start is focused on the child, their adults, their communities, and surrounding systems.

Early Start is a collaborative initiative between the Commonwealth Government, the Abbott foundation and the University of Wollongong. It strives to connect research, education, and community to improve the life trajectories of children and their adults across life courses. We do this by prioritising connections to Country, healthy bodies and minds, interactions and relationships, learning, creativity and play, and development and assessment.

The Early Start Institute supports the positive development of children by delivering research outcomes, and materially influencing public discourse, industry participation and government policy.

A decade of engagement and impact

To mark the Early Start Discovery Space’s 10-year anniversary, this project examined how sustained engagement supports children and families over time. It reconnected with 600+ former families, collecting 600+ surveys and insights from 40 parents, enabling a rare long-term view of museums’ roles in learning, wellbeing, belonging and connection.

View the Early Start members study report (PDF) View Early Start impacts factsheet (PDF)

Caring for Country, community and future generations

Early Start's Director of Culture and Community, Anthony McKnight, shares the story of Gurawul, the humpback whale, to help communities care for Country and connect through Indigenous knowledge and place. Read more about the national Indigenous-led project.

Read more about the case study

Where curious minds play

Early Start Discovery Space

An interactive children’s play space that stimulates curiosity, nurtures creativity, builds confidence, hands on learning and provides opportunities for social connection, wellbeing and development.

Research

Our interdisciplinary researchers investigate areas of children’s learning, health and development. We develop and advocate for evidence-based policies and programs.

Community partnerships

Early Start supports and collaborates with a network of early childhood education and care centres in regional and remote areas to enrich professional practice and strengthen the outcomes for children.

Research Translation and Resources

We work collaboratively and transdisciplinary to provide translational research opportunities across broad spheres of influence on childhood.

Resources

Play & Learn Together

A free online portal featuring high quality, evidence-informed early childhood learning resources designed to support families and carers with young children’s learning in the home environment.

Early Start Expert Insight podcast series

Listen to our researchers and partners share their experiences, research findings, and evidence-based advice on a range of topics from culture to healthy development, learning, play, relationships, innovative programs and more.

News

Community, Education, Research

Early Start leaves lasting impact on children’s wellbeing, development

Cohort study reveals strength of community connection as Discovery Space turns 11

Education

Australia’s best university for Teacher Education – two years running

National Student Experience Survey again names University of Wollongong #1 for teaching degrees
Community, Education, Research

New guide tackles age discrimination to build stronger communities

Practical, evidence-based resource offers tools to break down barriers, boost connections between generations

Hire a space

We offer two unique spaces designed for engaging learning experiences: the Playful Learning Space and the Food Skills Kitchen.

Check out our spaces today!