Early Childhood Australia

For the first time, the 2026 ECA National Conference will feature a dedicated Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) stream—created to recognise and celebrate the vital role of OSHC professionals across Australia.

Developed in consultation with NOSHSA (National Outside School Hours Services Alliance), this dedicated stream responds to the unique opportunities, challenges and strengths of contemporary OSHC practice. Across three days, you'll find sessions exploring leadership, pedagogy, wellbeing, inclusion and more, alongside opportunities to connect with colleagues, share ideas and be part of conversations that matter to the OSHC sector.

Whether you're an educator, coordinator, leader or approved provider, this is your opportunity to learn, reflect and connect with peers from across the country.

Explore the program and start planning your conference experience today: https://www.ecaconference.com.au/2026/program/

📍 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Melbourne, VIC
📅 30 September–3 October 2026

Happy 20th anniversary to our friends at Raising Children Network!

ECA were amongst many Australian child-focused organisations who came together at the Australian Museum in Sydney, to celebrate 20 years of RCN’s evidence-based, free, straight forward information for parents.

We look forward to collaborating with RCN to support Australian parents for many years to come!

See their resources here https://raisingchildren.net.au/

ECA CEO Sam Page appeared on Radio National Breakfast to discuss calls for a national Early Childhood Education and Care Commission.

As Sam explained:
"What we are really calling for is stewardship of the system, so a much more intentional planned approach to the way services are delivered, better understanding of community needs and the demand for services, region by region, and an approach to responding to that, appropriately."

Listen here:

Why there are calls for a national childcare commission - ABC listen Education Ministers agreed to explore the development of an Early Education and Care Commission earlier this month.

Join Catharine Hydon, Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Dr Anne Kennedy AM and Leanne Mits OAM as they explore the ethical decisions, conversations and commitments that guide our work with children, families and communities.

This panel discussion will consider what ethics means in the Australian context, how ethical principles shape early childhood education and care, and how they are brought to life through everyday professional practice.

Together, they will delve into how ethics underpins our professional practice and consider how we can continue to build our confidence, deepen our critical reflection, and respond to complex situations with integrity, courage and care.

Register now to join the conversation and take new perspectives back into your own practice, teams and communities.

https://www.ecaconference.com.au/2026/register/

📣 Extend your conference experience with the AJEC Research Symposium.

Held as part of the 2026 ECA National Conference week, the AJEC Research Symposium brings together academics, researchers, students, and sector leaders to share the latest research shaping early childhood education and care.

Under the theme Making young children’s rights, safety and wellbeing the paramount consideration, the symposium features more than 35 presentations exploring emerging research, theoretical and methodological perspectives, and policy initiatives.

Attending the 2026 ECA National Conference? Add the AJEC Research Symposium to your conference registration and take advantage of a special discounted rate.

The symposium is one of the many opportunities to learn, connect and engage in professional conversation throughout the conference week.

📍 30 September | The University of Melbourne

📄 View the program and register now! https://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/events/ajecsymposium/

Learning through play lays the foundation for children's learning, development and wellbeing.

Play nurtures creativity, problem-solving, communication and social skills, making it an essential part of children's holistic development and lifelong learning. Whether you're looking to deepen your knowledge, refresh your practice or discover new ideas, our Learning Through Play resources bring together trusted publications, professional learning and practical support to help you strengthen and champion play-based learning.

Explore the collection today.
🔗https://bit.ly/4ffQYul

ECA is coming to regional Victoria! ✨

As part of the Strengthening Child Safeguarding in Early Childhood series, ECA is delivering complimentary in-person professional learning sessions in Warragul and Geelong, giving Victorian educators and leaders the opportunity to engage with expert facilitators, connect with peers and explore key child safeguarding concepts in practice.

Facilitated by members of the Rapid Response Taskforce, these full-day workshops provide a comprehensive learning experience focused on strengthening professional capability through practical activities, collaborative conversations and guided reflection.

Sessions will be held in:
📍 Warragul – 30 July 2026
📍 Geelong – 20 August 2026
📍 Melbourne CBD – 28 July and 19 August 2026 (sold out)

The workshops will cover:
• Child-safe recruitment and onboarding practices
• Staffing, rostering for dynamic supervision and learning environment safety audits
• Grooming and sexual abuse prevention
• Responding to concerns raised by educators and families

Victorian Government-funded early childhood education and care services may be eligible to claim a backfill contribution to support educator attendance.

Learn more and register for a session near you: https://bit.ly/44wacab

📌 There are plenty of ways to discover new ideas at the 2026 ECA National Conference.

Available to explore throughout the conference, the poster presentations offer an opportunity to engage with new perspectives, practical initiatives and research findings at your own pace. Connect with presenters, ask questions and take away ideas to inform your own practice

Whether you are joining us in Melbourne or online, the poster presentations are another valuable way to learn from the knowledge and experiences being shared throughout the conference.

Join us from 30 September–3 October 2026 and explore everything the conference has to offer.

Register today: https://www.ecaconference.com.au/2026/register/