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ECEC sector unites in Darwin to celebrate 10th Annual Little People, Big Dreams Conference

Freya Lucas

Oct 24, 2024

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The Little People, Big Dreams conference is not just another event in an early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector calendar jam packed with inspirational opportunities for professional development.

For those who have been lucky enough to attend Little People, Big Dreams, the sense of being a part of something bigger is immediate, and the most recent conference, held Saturday 12 October 2024 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Esplanade, Darwin, was no different.

Over 400 attendees gathered from across Australia for a day which was filled with incredible insights, passionate speakers, and thought provoking opportunities for collaboration, commencing with an inspirational conference welcome from the Acting Chief Executive for the Department of Education and Training, Susan Bowden.

The conference program itself kicked off with an engaging expert-led keynote panel, featuring Professor Deborah Brennan, Susan Bowden, Sarah Rheinberger, and Dr. Georgie Nutton who explored the topic “Reimagining the Early Years: Unravelling the Productivity Commission's Recommendations,”.

Delegates left the session with fresh insights, diverse perspectives, and a deeper understanding of the complexities of the ECEC sector at both national and state levels.

Following the first keynote speaker those present were able to celebrate the momentous occasion of the conference’s tenth birthday with a cake and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday before moving into an engaging session from the Australian Education Research Organisation’s (AERO) Katey De Gioa, Rachel Elphick and Kathryn Martin-Anderson who discussed “Culturally Responsive Assessment for Learning: Engaging deeply and honestly in conversation with self and others to improve children’s learning and development.”

This discussion also introduced delegates to the early childhood learning trajectories, and gave additional insights into the revised Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).

“The keynote speakers were all amazing,” one attendee shared. “Loved AERO’s breakaway session about reflexivity and the Aboriginal learning framework completed by inspired education & Tangentyre Council.”

Touching on the importance of educator wellbeing, speaker Jennifer Jefferies led an inspiring discussion titled ‘Decompressing Stress’ which explored ways to “break the stress loop” in order to enhance mental health and promote personal growth.

Ms Jefferies emphasised the importance of understanding the ongoing cycle of stress, offering tangible strategies to combat it with minimal effort.

“I found Jennifer Jeffries refreshing, authentic and encouraging with small portions of strategies to make a difference with the stress in our days," one delegate said.

Several other delegates agreed, with comments including “Jennifer Jeffries was my highlight, her engaging presentation on such a relevant and helpful topic was exactly what we all needed;" and “I personally had a blast with Jennifer Jefferies in the Wellbeing Keynote 3. She made me laugh and she really helped me better understand myself.”

Breakout sessions with deep impact

The inspiration was not limited to the keynote sessions, with delegates embracing the wide range of breakout sessions on offer from esteemed ECEC sector notaries such as Nicole Talarico, Sarah Forgan, Jacinta McInnerney, Sasha Beirne, Connie Borg and Rosie Schellen, among others, attracting the attention of delegates. Feedback received by conference organisers included:

“Nicole Talarico - amazingly honest and truthful presentation - we have to teach from birth to break the cycle - I agree!”
“Sarah Fogan was amazing I loved how fun and interactive it was”
“I really enjoyed Sasha and Connie's session about creating trauma-informed spaces. Specifically about thinking about children and families who are affected by trauma and making sure we are keeping them in mind when setting up our spaces.”
“Listening to the speakers and being able to understand the progress as well as the new initiatives that are in the pipeline. Enjoyed learning new skills and strategies to be able to implement and support families.”
“All the topics discussed are really helpful to give new insight and perspective. The most relatable one was about Stress management and well-being care especially working in high demanding sector like childcare.”
“The speakers were all passionate & knowledgeable about their fields. Very engaging. Everything was spot on for my first LPBD conference.”

Immense pride and gratitude

Putting together an event such as Little People, Big Dreams is no small task, and for Child Australia’s CEO Tina Holtom, reflecting on the occasion gives her a sense of “immense pride and gratitude.”

“Together, we embarked on a journey of empowerment, inspiration, and transformative change,” she said.

“The conference was not merely an event; it was a testament to our collective dedication to nurturing the potential within every child. Witnessing the passion, knowledge sharing, and collaborative spirit among delegates reaffirmed our shared commitment to shaping a brighter future for our children. Our journey continues as we carry the spirit of this conference forward, transforming dreams into reality, one little step at a time."

Delegates reported leaving with ideas on how to support children to grow through creativity, emotions, and inclusion, and with useful tips for child-led learning and chances for educators to connect and share ideas.

“This conference gave me a broader understanding about children,” one attendee said.

Events such as Little People, Big Dreams are not possible without the generosity of sponsors such as major partner the Northern Territory Government, and other sponsors: Berry Street, HESTA, Territory Childcare Group, The Sector, Goodstart, Twinkl and Connectix.

Exhibitors attended the event also, offering an opportunity for delegates to get ‘up close and personal’ with new resources, tools and ideas. In attendance were:

NT Government
Territory Child Care Group
Early Childhood Australia NT
Be You - ECA
Berry Street
Awe & Wonder
Expect A Star
AERO
Mile End Furniture
Catholic Education NT
Inspired EC
Modern Teaching Aids
HIPPY Australia
ANZUK Education
Xplor
1Place
The Y Northern Territory

The final note of thanks for the team behind Little People, Big Dreams goes to the dedicated staff of Child Australia who lend so much time, effort and enthusiasm to making the event possible.

Little People, Big Dreams will be back next year. For those located in WA, the Early Childhood Learning & Development Conference is returning to Optus Stadium in March 2025, offering another opportunity to learn, engage and grow professionally.

Learn more about Child Australia’s upcoming events here.

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