Introduction
… the most significant influences on child development and parenting capacity stem from the structural inequities which currently run throughout … society (Jack, 2005, p. 301).
Despite universal access to health care and education, Australia is currently ranked in the bottom third of all OECD countries on a range of health and wellbeing indicators for children (Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2013). Such differences in health and wellbeing outcomes are now recognised as a ‘wicked problem’ (Moore, 2011) because they are extremely complex and very difficult to address (https://www.wickedproblems.com/1_wicked_problems.php). The United Nations has recognised this and created a special unit whose role it is to take the lead in addressing the factors contributing to this wicked problem (http:// www. who.int/social_determinants/en/). This chapter examines this ‘wicked problem’, with the aim of supporting early childhood educators to reflect on the role they can play in addressing these issues.
The chapter begins by looking at social inequality, particularly in relation to health and wellbeing. Despite huge improvements in the resources we have available to us – think for a moment about the early childhood experiences of your grandparents/ parents, who were growing up before antibiotics were available – internationally we see significant declines in population health and wellbeing, and increasingly large gaps between the rich and the poor in countries all around the world.
The chapter goes on to explore how governments are attempting to address issues of social inequality. While early childhood educators are rarely involved at the level of policy – although it is very important that we advocate at this level – it is necessary to understand the context, as this influences how we work with young children. The chapter concludes with practical suggestions for some actions early childhood educators can take to contribute to managing this problem.
PAUSE AND REFLECT 8.2: THINKING ABOUT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
Before we begin, think about the community in which you live.
• Are there some families who appear to be financially better off than other families? What characteristics did you use to make this judgement?
• Are there services that these families access which other families cannot afford?
• Do their children attend different schools?
• What differences do you see in the houses – size, outdoor play space, heating and cooling, safety?
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