Why early childhood should be on every news organisation's agenda

Worldwide the number of infants and pregnant mothers fleeing their home countries is on the rise. Countless news reports focus on the desperate lives of these migrants, suggesting there is little hope for those children. But how much do media report on early childhood per se, beyond the breaking news narrative? In this panel we will explore how the early childhood lens is an important one to apply to the news agenda. For example, explaining that a mother's well-being is crucial in a child's upbringing can better inform a conversation about parental leave. Similarly, reporting on the health implications of early trauma can help us understand the importance of investing in early education and social programmes – better informing our line of journalistic inquiry.