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 We
all know that child abuse and neglect still exists in Australia.
Over 20,000 children are removed from their homes each year. That
represents only a portion of the substantiated cases of abuse and
neglect reported every year.
When
I became a parent, I was shocked by how little I knew about this
massive new job. I had received all types of education and preparation
for the various jobs I have had in the past – but none for
this one. And that insecurity almost paralised me. I
didn't want to make a mistake, so I was afraid to engage. Honestly I was afraid I might break them, in every possible sense: by accident or frustration - I really didn't trust myself.
I had a feeling that
if I wanted the twins to grow up healthy and ok, I would
have to start by educating myself. Luckily I had the time and the help
to do that. What really scared me, when I came up for air,
was wondering how other parents cope. My own experiences as a child gave me the ultimate impetus to help families avoid situations in which children feel scared, confused and sometimes even suicidal.
I'm very
lucky to have good support, however there are many ways in which
I am not unique. According to a recent study
conducted by the Government, most Australian parents wished that,
even in the face of perceived information overload, they had one
reliable source of information about caring for children, one
that is accessible and that they can depend on to answer their questions without judging
them, and provide links to support. It seems
a universal sentiment that, for the level of the responsibility
we have for these young human beings, soon to become full members
of our society, most of us fear we have poor preparation and
very little support.
That
is what prompted me to establish Smart Population Foundation
in 2002... I wanted to make an effort to bring parenting
information and the science of child development to Australian parents
and carers on a national level, with the support of government and
the private sector. I wanted to work with the best
experts in Australia (and internationally) along
with writers and design and technical experts to present existing, evidence-based and valuable information
in an objective and engaging way. I wanted to make sure that the end result respected the audience's intelligence,
individuality, need to reduce stress and improve confidence.
I think
there is a heightened awareness of the impact that investment in
early childhood has on the long-term outcomes for a child and, progressively,
for the entire community. Population rates are an important issue
for Australia where an impending 'welfare gap' is of major economic importance to policy makers. In an effort to address this issue, the Government now makes a lump sum payment to parents every time they have a baby (rising to $5,000 per child in July 2008). However, what is even more important than a boost in fertility is how we enable
the population - we have to be smart
about it - if we can't break the cycle of ill-health, harm and neglect and improve
a child's early environments, then another warm body is not necessarily
a benefit to society nor to the individual. Only a healthy and proactive, flexible
workforce can make up for a deficiency in numbers. And self-determination is the key to optimism and quality of life.
I don’t think
we can rely on an imaginary safety net out there for all those children
who, for whatever reason, are dangling in the wind. I think we have
to make an effort to get the well-established basics out to all
parents, disadvantaged, or not, before preventable problems set
in. What matters more than anything, is that people are making informed decisions - for themselves and for their children. If we can bring the science to the people
in a way which appeals to their curiosity, need for confidence,
privacy and, let’s face it, convenience, then we have a real
chance of success.
This
website is an introduction to our perspective on achieving those
goals. We have tried to answer some commonly asked questions, like:
All of the information is based on current research and
practise. SPF has been fortunate to assemble
an inspiring group of advisors. Go to About
Us for more information about the Foundation.
I
want to thank those advisors and all of the Foundation’s friends
who have been so helpful in setting up the Foundation and its work.
Specifically I want to thank:
•
Anna Crook,
a brilliant web guru,
• Brett Fusedale at Fade,
a fantastic web designer,
• Alice Macdougall at Freehills, Hollingdale & Page, for setting up the Foundation
• Alison Lockyer, SPF's first employee and a tireless researcher, and
• Peter Holmes à Court, my husband and partner.
And special
thanks also goes to the organisations and individuals
who have helped us along the way.
Divonne
Holmes à Court
(Updated November 2007)
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