SJIEC Conference turns 19 – the baby, the bathwater, and making a difference

The Social Justice in Early Childhood (SJIEC) Foundation will hold its 19th annual conference on 29 July 2023 in person at the Redfern Community Centre Sydney, as well as online through Zoom. 

Each year, the conference title is ‘Throwing the baby out with the bathwater’, and a number of engaging speakers and advocates present on a variety of social justice topics. Such is the success of the conference, its reach now includes regional, national and international speakers and participants.

In 2023, Suzanne Axelsson will be speaking from Sweden on safe and brave spaces for autonomy, and there will be teachers, activists and advocates sharing stories of practice, natural disasters and more. 

In particular there will be a focus on supporting and advocating for and with LGBTQIA+ children and families, as well as educators within the sector – something that is sadly more necessary than ever at a time when tensions, bias and intolerance seems to be on the rise.

The registration cost for both the online and in person sessions is $65, something which SJIEC treasurer Stephen Gallen said is a deliberate choice on the part of the Foundation to make the Conference as accessible to as many people as possible, including educators “who as we know are often on low incomes”. 

“We see this as a social justice issue in itself,” Mr Gallen added.  SJIEC has “a long and proud history of bringing people together in solidarity, advocacy and activism to work towards social justice and to challenge bias and discrimination”.

“If you have an interest in social justice issues in relation to the lives of children then this Conference will inform, inspire, enrage, galvanise and most of all connect you,” he continued. 

“And you might even get the chance to collectively compose and perform your own conference song!”

To register, please see here.