Early Childhood Australia Events

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International Day of Play: The right of every child

In celebration of the inaugural International Day of Play, Early Childhood Australia (ECA) hosted the Lego Group and Play Australia for an engaging webinar on the critical importance of play in children’s development.

Samantha Page, ECA; Robyn Monro Miller AM, Play Australia; Catharina Sørensen, the LEGO Group: and Emma Watkins, LEGO Play Ambassador, explored the profound impact of play in children’s lives and delve into insights from ECA’s Statement on Play.

To learn more about the International Day of Play: The right of every child webinar or watch the recording click here.

2024 ECA National Conference

Realising the Vision: an integrated future for the early years

The ECA National Conference was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Queensland, from Tuesday 17 September to Friday 20 September 2024.

The early years are at the forefront of policy debate and reform across Australia and globally. This is an extraordinary ‘moment in time’ to shape the future—to build a universal platform for early childhood education and care, to stabilise and recognise the early childhood workforce, and to better integrate supports for both children and families across allied health, social services and major service systems such as the NDIS . It is critical that reform is driven by a clear vision that puts children at the centre of policy and service design. It is also important that the early childhood profession is actively engaged in both decision-making and implementation.

We are also on the cusp of creating a reconciled nation that recognises, values and celebrates the enduring strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and identities. The early childhood sector has an important role in this—through embracing cultural responsiveness and inclusive practice to foster children’s connection to culture and identity, while also forming respectful partnerships to empower First Nations communities and families.

To learn more about the 2024 ECA National Conference click here.

2025 ECA Reconciliation Symposium

As part of our ongoing commitment to acknowledging reconciliation in the early years, ECA will host the 2025 Reconciliation Symposium in Gimuy (Cairns)Canberra, 16–17 May 2025 to explore reconciliation within the sector. Click here to learn more.

2025 AJEC Research Symposium

The 2025 AJEC Research Symposium, Leading research; leading practice, will convene in-person in Perth on Wednesday 1 October 2025. Through the theme of ‘Leading research; leading practice’, we invite researchers, policymakers and early years professionals to considered how research, theories, practices and methodologies are designed and enacted alongside children and other stakeholders to address the questions:

How does research support the development of evidence-based practices that lead to improved outcomes for children and families?
What strategies support sustained implementation fidelity of evidence-based practice in early childhood settings?

Find more details about the 2025 AJEC Research Symposium here.

2025 ECA National Conference

Universal not uniform
Leading change, strengthening unity and honouring individuality

The ECA National Conference was held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Western Australia, from Wednesday 1 October to Saturday 4 October 2025.

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To learn more about the 2025 ECA National Conference click here.

Other conferences and events

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Events