About
Early Childhood Australia Victoria advocates to ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to children from birth to eight years and that these children have a voice. Our vision is that ‘Every young child is thriving and learning’.
The ECA Victoria Committee achieves this through speaking on behalf of young children to parents, governments, educators, carers and the community. We are committed to promoting high standards of practice in the early childhood sector and contribute to and comment on policy that affects young children and their families.
The ECA Victoria Committee is governed by a volunteer committee and is a member of the ECA national organisation. We engage our members through regular communication via social media and newsletters and hold regular forums that members can attend to keep up to date with current policy, research and issues within the sector. The committee is strongly committed to increasing our membership and advocating for the early childhood sector work force.
Acknowledgement of Country
Early Childhood Australia Victoria Committee acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations as the Traditional Custodians of the land in which our office is situated. We extend this acknowledgment to Traditional Custodians across Victoria and recognise their continuing connections to land and water and thank them for protecting this vast landscape and its ecosystems since time immemorial. We pay our deepest respects to Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We recognise that we must reflect upon the significance of true reconciliation in all of ECA’s work. This commitment to Reconciliation is a commitment to all children and particularly to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families.
As a community of Early Childhood professionals, we recognise that Aboriginal communities have been and continue to nurture and teach children on this land and in recognition we highly value, honour and respect this.
View Early Childhood Australia’s Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan: Winanggaay: Look, Listen and Learn.
Events
Each year the ECA Victoria Committee hosts a series of events to engage with ECA members and early childhood professionals. We encourage you to look out for event announcements and links to register for events on the ECA Victoria Committee’s Facebook page.
Committee Members
| Co-Chair | Dr Helen Schiele |
| Co-Chair | Sharon Jordan |
| Finance Liaison Officer | David Wright |
| General Member | Nicole Talarico |
| General Member | Sam Vale |
| General Member | Daniel Leach-McGill |
| General Member | Sarah Louise Nelson |
| General Member | Nicole Pilsworth |
| General Member | Kelly Rose |
| General Member | Leanne Mits |
| General Member | Jono Lord |
| General Member | Alison Teece |
Learn more about the ECA Victoria Committee Members by clicking here: ECA Victoria Committee Bios 2025
Committees with Representation
The Victorian Committee has representation on a variety of early childhood committees, advisory groups and professional support services throughout the state of Victoria.
- Regulation of Education and Care Services – Key Stakeholders
- ECA Leadership Forum
- Best Start Best Life Taskforce Advisory Group (TAG)
- ECA Learning Hub Advisory Group
- Training and Practice Advisory Group (Child Information Sharing Reforms) (TPAG)
- Box Hill Institute: Early Childhood Course Advisory Committee
- Child Link Implementation Reference Group (CLIRG)
- Department of Education Early Childhood Stakeholder Group
- Reconciliation Victoria STRIVE Committee
- ECA Reconciliation Advisory Group
2025—Sharing the ECA Victoria plan for the year ahead
Awards
The Victorian Committee of Early Childhood Australia offers a range of awards that celebrate student achievement and research excellence, in addition to providing financial support to attend professional development. The awards were established in 2005 and have expanded to six award categories, to meet the diverse needs of the early childhood community. Consider submitting a nomination, for you or someone you know.
Special Interest Groups
The ECA Victoria Committee operates with a number of special interest groups (SIG’s) that support the needs and interests of ECA members. SIG’s operate under the auspices of a larger organisation and adhere to their policies. Each SIG is shaped by what its members want and hope to achieve, with objectives including but not limited to, a research and reading focus, discussions, networking, visits, guest speakers or advocacy. They offer opportunities for smaller groups to get together to think through marginalised and or specialised areas of interest.
Each SIG has two convenors who oversee the group. SIG convenors can be contacted directly if you are interested in joining the group or if you would like further information.
View the policy that guides the formation and structure of a Special Interest Group. As each SIG has a different focus and identity, this policy is a guide only.
Your Membership at Work
The ECA Vic committee publish a termly newsletter with information about the work of ECA in Victoria and nationally.
Contact
e: ecavic@earlychildhood.org.au
ECA Victorian Committee Facebook page—you don’t have to sign up to look.
