Stacking early years services
December 2025
When children participate in a combination of high-quality services over time, and access extra supports as needed, the benefits add up. This is called ‘stacking’.
Since 2022, Restacking the Odds (RSTO) has been working with early childhood partners to turn data into action. We’ve created practical tools – a lead indicator framework, data dashboard and continuous improvement program – to help our partners measure and strengthen quality, quantity and participation in early years services. This enables them to build a stronger stack of local services and drive equitable outcomes.
Our impact
Stronger partnerships
Worked together with 13 early childhood service organisations including 4 early years partnerships, across VIC, SA, NSW and QLD.
Data-informed decisions
100% of early childhood education and care practitioners felt confident using RSTO data to improve service quality and delivery.
Greater child participation
Actions taken by one early childhood education and care service resulted in an 18% increase in the proportion of priority group children on track to complete 600 annual hours.
Recognition of service stacking
Raised the profile of stacking and the importance of using timely data among government stakeholders.
Next steps
Our next phase will focus on scaling our impact – working with diverse communities and early years partnerships across WA, SA, QLD and NSW to enable local change and restack the odds for more children.
Restacking the Odds enables early years partnerships and services to use actionable data, known as lead indicators, to build a stronger stack of early childhood services and drive equitable outcomes. RSTO is an initiative of the Centre for Community Child Health, Social Ventures Australia and Bain & Company, supported by the Minderoo Foundation and Paul Ramsay Foundation.
This case study originally appeared in the Centre's 2025 Impact Report.