Celebrating 10 years of the NT’s premiere ECEC conference in October 2024 

The Little People, Big Dreams (LPBD) Conference is an Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) conference like no other, with former delegates eagerly awaiting the 10th anniversary 2024 event, which will be held in October. 

For the past six years LPBD has been a sold out event, one which sees educators, leaders, sector researchers and advocates gather to be inspired, network and celebrate the successes and achievements of the unique NT community. 

The special 10 year celebration in 2024 reveals the theme: Empower, Connect, Embed and the event, which will be held at the Doubletree Hilton on 12 October 2024, promises an inspiring line up of keynote speakers and breakout sessions, made possible by Presenting Partners the Northern Territory government and Child Australia.

Two of the keynotes revealed are:

“Culturally Responsive Assessment for Learning” – Engaging deeply and honestly in conversation with self and others to improve children’s learning and development by Dr Katey De Gioia and Sally Cooper from Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and “Decompressing Stress” – How to break the stress loop to improve your mental health and flourish, by Jennifer Jefferies

Topics to be explored include how educators and leaders can “break the stress loop”, improve their mental health, and thrive as ECEC professionals and how to engage deeply and honestly in conversations with self and with others to improve children’s learning and development.

“We’re always excited to put together the LPBD conference program, and this year is even more special as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the conference.” Child Australia’s Executive Director Services & Programs, Sara Hinchley said.

As well as keynote sessions, and a celebratory cake cutting, the 2024 conference program has a number of breakout sessions which are designed to support attendees to learn more about: 

• Combating family violence with early years empathy
• Social and emotional wellbeing for children 
• Engaging parents and families in their children’s learning 
• Creating trauma informed environments in ECEC
• Child development
• Cultural responsiveness

The breakout speakers include:

• Nancy Jeffrey & Rosie Schellen from Emerging Minds, on – Supporting social and emotional wellbeing and mental health of infant’s children and their families; the role we all play

• Understanding the Social Emotional Wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants, children and families

• Jacinta McInnerney from Early Childhood Australia, on – Exploring Play Schemas

• Deb Wilson & Ronnelle Sanders from St John’s Anglican College, on – Our Keys to Success – An Innovative Resource to Get Families Talking and Reading Together

• Dr Katey De Gioia & Sally Cooper from AERO, on – Focus on cultural responsiveness and a second session on – Focus on process of implementation and AERO’s Early Childhood Learning Trajectories.

• Sasha Beirne & Connie Borg from Child Australia, on – Healing Spaces: Creating Trauma-Informed Environments in Outside School Hours Care

• Lucy Murrell & Daisy Ramsden from Abundant Education, on – What the heck is wellbeing anyway?

• Sarah Forgan from Berry Street Education Model, on – Teaching social and emotional well-being starting with self-regulatory strategies

• Nicole Talarico from Talarico Consulting, on – Fusing the empathy gap in early childhood to combat family violence

• Tash Treveton & Nicole Halton from Inspired EC, on – Learning and UnLearning: Our experience co-creating a framework with Aboriginal communities

• Karin Humphrey from Be You, Early Childhood Australia, on – Beyond Self- Care: A whole service commitment to social and emotional wellbeing.

“Each year when preparing our conference program, we place special emphasis on ensuring that all aspects of the ECEC sector are represented,” Ms Hinchley said. 

“This truly is an event with something for everyone.”

Complementing the keynote speakers and the breakout sessions is a marketplace which will allow attendees to get first hand information from providers and suppliers including Xplor Childcare and Education, 1 Place, Awe and Wonder, Expect a Star, Mile End Office Furniture, anzuk, Early Childhood Australia, Berry Street Education Model, Catholic Education Northern Territory, Territory Childcare Group, Be You,The Northern Territory Government and of course, Child Australia. 

Limited tickets for this event – which is once again on track to sell out – are available here. Use promo code CELEBRATE10 for a 10 year Anniversary Special 10% off  your ticket price.

To learn more about the event visit the dedicated conference website here.