Smart Population's Philosophy is based on five core beliefs:

1. Australia's future rests with its children - the economic rationale

The health and wellbeing of Australian children will have major implications for the nation's future. For Australia to become a more innovative, globally competitive country it needs to invest significant time, effort, research and resources into nurturing its young people. This investment carries a massive 700% return and that's just counting future savings on health, crime and welfare, according to a well-established US study by the RAND Corporation. That doesn't count the upside of participation and innovation and importance of addressing the upcoming population crisis.

Big improvements can be made to the lives of Australian children. Other than life expectancy, most other indicators paint a sobering picture of Australian childhood and adolescence: educational outcomes are on the decline while rates of mental ill-health, obesity and both physical and emotional abuse are sharply on the increase. Recent inquiries in NSW show that 1 in 10 children under 12 months of age are reported to DOCS for child abuse and neglect.  The key is timely harm prevention.

2. Children require safe, nurturing environments

For their basic survival, children need to live in nurturing environments free from physical and emotional abuse and neglect. Environments (meaning home, childcare, school and extended family) also need to enrich and stimulate a child's development. Children have five senses which act like sponges to absorb the world around them. Parents are their interpreters and that’s why the relationship is so important to them. Parents can convey what is safe and how best to survive and flourish physically and socially.

Curiosity - our most powerful instinctive learning tool - is essential for a child's development. It too can be encouraged and allowed to flourish. A healthy curiosity leads to the search for answers - it is the same pursuit responsible for some of the greatest innovations and discoveries in human history. Curiosity and problem solving is often circumvented (not always intentionally) by the didactic and sometimes coercive methods employed by many parents and the education system, however, for Australia to become a more innovative and, indeed, adaptable country, it needs children who prod and ask, "Why does that happen? How does it work? Where can I find out more?" Children who are able to engage in safe exploration and are given the chance to find their own solutions from an early age gain the confidence to be proactive later in life.

3. Parents are important

Parents are some of the most powerful, important people in society today: they are currently raising the country's future leaders, thinkers, workforce, drug addicts and criminals. We now know that we can not rely solely on the education system to prepare children for a rewarding life.

Smart Population believes that all parents want the best for their children and if and when they're struggling, it's not for want of trying but lack of the confidence, skills, support and knowledge required to protect and prepare their children for the best possible life. Help isn't exclusive to parents in desperate situations: all families need support.

4. Parents want the tools to make their job easier

Parents and other child carers/educators can, and want to, learn more about how to make their job less stressful. They are even willing to try advanced theories backed by years of scientific research (what we call "parenting science") as long as they are presented simply and practically in a way that is engaging and appeals to their autonomy, and let’s face it, convenience.

5. Child raising is a social concern

The responsibility of raising Australia's children needs to be shared among the whole community, not just the 7 million Australians who are currently parents to kids under 24. A culture which supports parenting can be fostered by Government agencies, the workplace, schools, childcare centres, extended family and society as a whole.