Early childhood food security: Policy pathways to reduce hunger

Hunger and food insecurity in childhood have significant lasting impacts on physical and mental health, as well as cognitive and emotional development. Closely related to multidimensional poverty, food insecurity also prevents children from making the most of opportunities such as access to early education and care (ECEC) and undermines their relationships both with peers and within families.
Despite being a wealthy and net-food-exporting country, an estimated 42 per cent of Australian households with children experience food insecurity, facing reduced quality, quantity and variety of food, running out of food or being forced to skip meals. The current cost-of-living crisis is further exacerbating food insecurity among Australia’s families.
ECEC settings offer a powerful intervention point: by school entry 90 per cent of Australian children will attend an ECEC service of some kind, presenting a critical opportunity to support children during a time of rapid brain development. However, a fragmented system means access to adequate nutrition is dependent upon postcode, with many services offering limited food or none at all. In addition, the national quality and regulatory framework largely frames food in terms of health and safety rather than a core component of quality. This policy framing exacerbates inequities by missing critical opportunities to require and monitor the quality, adequacy and management of food provision. In the absence of system level supports, critical opportunities to support children’s development, wellbeing, and relationships through food continue to be missed.
More broadly, there has been longstanding inaction on hunger and food insecurity by Australian governments - particularly as they impact young children. Australia has no existing national food security strategy, no overarching suite of law and policy to regulate the risks associated with food insecurity, no comprehensive data collection process and no clear responsibility or accountability at any level of government to facilitate equitable access to adequate food. There is also an unsustainable over-reliance on food relief services which may alleviate immediate hunger but are unable to resolve food insecurity in the long term. 
How then, can research evidence, lived experience, and cross-sector expertise be brought together to inform national policy that ensures every Australian child can access the food they need to thrive? Arising from the National Early Years Policy Summit held in Brisbane, Australia in August 2025, this policy commentary draws on current research, policy settings and practice insights on food provision and nutrition and food insecurity in the early years. It identifies key system gaps and outlines policy reforms, including the opportunities presented by the Albanese Government’s commitments to a National Food Security Strategy and a universal quality early learning system.