Western Australia - Early Childhood Australia

About

The Early Childhood Australia Western Australia Committee offers support, information and forums to early childhood organisations, services, professionals, parents and policy makers about relevant and current issues regarding children, their families and their place in the community.

The Committee has a broad membership from children’s services, early childhood organisations and education and interested people, all of whom share a common desire to provide leadership and advocacy on behalf of children and those that work with children.

WA Play Strategy—Scroll down or click the Quick links bar at the side to find out more about the WA Play Strategy

Our Business
Early Childhood Australia WA has three organisational imperatives which give direction to and focuses its work to achieve its mission.

1. Advocacy
To promote the interests and well being of young children and the people who work with them as broadly and effectively as possible.

2. Leadership
To promote high standards of professionalism that supports and encourages people in leadership roles at all levels.

3. A progressive organisation
To ensure that the organisation has strong directional leadership to enhance the ability to work to achieve the vision and mission and continue to be a leader in the early childhood field and the broader community. As a Committee we will take a leadership role in addressing current issues.

Committee Executive

Chairperson	Tanya Steers
General Member	Sally Whitaker
General Member	Danielle Arrigoni
General Member	Wendy Gorman
General Member	Amie Fabry
General Member	Jayne Kaiko
General Member	Sally Griffiths
General Member	Emma Gardner
General Member	Dimity Franks
General Member	Amelia Ruscoe
General Member	Rosina Smith
General Member	Tricia Ward

Contact

Jo Kapica (Admin): ecawa@earlychildhood.org.au
46 Hensman St, South Perth WA 6151

Facebook

ECA WA Committee is now on Facebook. Click here to follow us.

Events

Looking Ahead: 2025 ECA National Conference

While the ECA WA State Conference won’t be held in 2025, we’re thrilled to announce that Perth will be hosting the ECA National Conference from October 1-4, 2025. This year’s theme, “Universal not Uniform: Leading Change, Strengthening Unity, and Honouring Individuality”, promises to bring together educators, policymakers, and thought leaders from across Australia to shape the future of early childhood education.

It’s a unique opportunity to continue the conversation on equity, reform, and the future of early education, and we encourage everyone—whether you attended the State Conference or not—to be a part of this important event.

Mark your calendars—we hope to see you there! Let’s continue to build on the momentum of the 2024 State Conference and engage in meaningful discussions that will help shape the legacy we leave for the next generation of children. Stay tuned for more details and opportunities to get involved.

Subscribe to the E-newsletter to stay up to date with the latest conference news.

ECA WA State Conference 2024: A Day of Insight, Innovation, and Inspiration

Over 170 passionate early childhood educators came together for the 2024 ECAWA State Conference, a day brimming with cutting-edge insights, practical strategies, and meaningful discussions. This year’s theme, “Ready or not… Here I come!”, set the stage for a powerful exploration of how we, as educators, can be ready to embrace the unique knowledge and identities each child brings to early learning.

Attendees were treated to thought-provoking sessions from an exceptional lineup of speakers, including Professor Andrew Whitehouse, who illuminated the evolving landscape of autism research, and Dr. Ros Sambell, who shared innovative nutrition strategies to enhance early learners’ well-being. The dynamic panel discussion on “Brave New Childhoods or Braving Childhood?” sparked engaging conversations about the vital role of educators in being ‘ready for all children’ and the evolving nature of childhood compared to our own experiences. It explored how these changes impact our practice and how embracing diverse needs with optimism can enhance our work in early education.

We were also honoured to welcome Anne Aly MP, the Federal Member for Cowan, and Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, Commissioner for Children and Young People WA, whose presence underscored the importance of our shared commitment to improving the lives of children and families in WA.

Hands-on workshops kept the energy high throughout the afternoon, with packed rooms full of engaged participants exploring dance, movement, music, and art as tools for enrichment in the classroom. Attendees didn’t just listen—they created, collaborated, and connected in meaningful ways. And, of course, breaks were filled with lively conversations, delicious food, and a few indulgent afternoon tea treats to keep everyone energized.

Attendees also walked away with a deeper understanding of how integrating spirituality into early education can nurture children’s emotional and social development, fostering a strong sense of self and connection to the world around them. The session with Associate Professor Christine Robinson, on engaging spirituality as part of holistic pedagogies, opened a new conversation about how spirituality enriches children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development—allowing them to build a greater sense of self and connection to the world.

The discussions around digital technologies were equally compelling, offering insights into how thoughtfully used tech can enhance communication, support play-based learning, and foster inquiry. One takeaway was how digital tools can reconnect children with nature in our increasingly urbanized world. Associate Professor Madeleine Dobson’s session on integrating tech with nature connectedness sparked lively discussions on how technology can benefit both cognitive and emotional well-being. Another highlight was Stacey McKenzie’s presentation on “Documenting Student Learning through Digital Storytelling.” Stacey shared how digital

storytelling can transform early childhood learning, offering practical tips for using technology to support multi-modal communication and enrich student experiences.

The 2024 ECA WA State Conference offered a unique combination of cutting-edge technology and more traditional, human-centered pedagogies, providing attendees with a well-rounded toolkit that educators and carers can take back to their service to support diverse learning needs. A huge thank you to the ECAWA State Conference Sub Committee for their dedication, hard work and heart in bringing this incredible day to life. We would also like to extend our gratitude to volunteers from the ECA WA Committee and Edith Cowan University School of Education, whose support was invaluable in making the event such a success. Their time, effort, and passion are deeply appreciated.

WA Play Strategy

The research is comprehensive and conclusive—play is essential for children’s healthy development across all domains and is also their fundamental right.

Play-based learning enables children to engage in real-life and imaginary play experiences that challenge thinking, promote communication, inspire creativity and nurture socio-emotional well-being.

However, there is a growing concern that opportunities for children to learn through play is diminishing, particularly in the early years of schooling.

Early Childhood Australia (WA), the key advocacy organisation for children from birth to eight years of age in Western Australia, is leading a campaign to raise public awareness on the importance of play and is advocating for a State government-led  WA Play Strategy to reinstate young children’s right to learn through play at school and in the community.

WA Play Statement Launch

After a long campaign and over 10, 000 endorsements from the public, ECA WA is proud to launch the Statement on Play for WA. We held a launch party alongside our AGM and it was an opportunity to thank those involved and recognise the work that had been done. Please access the statements and use them in your daily practice here: Play Statement booklet and brochure. The statement was launched by the Honorable Colin Pettit (Commissioner for Children and Young People WA) and the full thanks were given by Marcelle Saratsis who was filling in for Sandra Hesterman (Play Committee Chair) who was unfortunately unwell on the evening. Jayne Kaiko presented the document on behalf of the Committee to the children that had been instrumental in the artwork that accompanies the wording and we recognise the work of her class and the Perth Montessori school community who assisted with many elements of the statements development, printing and launch.