The Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) is grateful for the opportunity to make a submission to the Australian Government’s Early Years Strategy. The Settlement Council of Australia is the peak body representing the vast majority of settlement agencies across Australia providing direct services and support to people of migrant and refugee backgrounds. Settlement is a two-way process of migrants and refugees adjusting to a new life in Australia, and Australia welcoming migrants and refugees. Australia has an obligation to those who come here, including providing the best settlement outcomes for its youngest arrivals. With almost a third of the population (27.6%) born overseas, and 22.3% of people using a language other than English at home, it is critical to include Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) perspectives in the context of the Australian Government’s Early Years Strategy.
