The Sector to host new ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum as event focus broadens

The Sector, Australia’s largest early childhood education and care (ECEC) publishing platform, has confirmed it will be hosting its inaugural ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum, the second event in its Connect+ series, in Melbourne on 17 July 2025. 

This intimate, and fully curated, full-day gathering will bring together ECEC professionals from across a wide range of settings, including importantly those operating in the not for profit and community spaces, as well as respected policy voices and seasoned leaders to share their experience, knowledge and insights around a set of topics focused on workforce and wellbeing matters. 

“As the early learning sector’s most trusted news voice we are repeatedly exposed to stories and anecdotes that profile the challenges, and successes, currently playing out at organisations across the country,” said Jason Roberts, Founder of The Sector.

“Against that backdrop, we felt it would be incredibly valuable to convene a gathering that not only unpacks some of the most pressing issues unfolding in the sector, but also provides an opportunity to uncover and explore what best practice looks like and celebrate the very real successes already occuring.”

“We are super excited to be partnering with two of the country’s leading advocates and drivers of early learning excellence, namely the Department of Education Victoria and Goodstart Early Learning and also grateful for the unwavering support of our key moderators Anthony Semann and Catharine Hydon, all of which will be playing important roles on the day.” 

Focussing on issues that matter to leaders and professionals active in the ECEC space

Scheduled to be held on Thursday 17 July 2025 in the Bourke Room at The Hotel Windsor, Melbourne, the ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum will provide attendees with access to some of Australia’s leading voices in a comfortable, non-corporate setting. 

Built around four themed sessions, each hosted by a respected sector leader and supported by experienced panellists, every panel will include an extended Q&A session, ensuring delegates can engage deeply with the content and speakers whilst harvesting insights that will support a deeper understanding of workforce and wellbeing issues.

“We have worked hard to position the event in a way that will cater for the needs of an audience that is hungry for insights to better improve their understanding of managing workforce and wellbeing needs in their organisations,” Mr Roberts added. 

“For example we often field questions from our readers like – what does best practice look like when designing team wellbeing programs? – “how can organisations not just attract talent but retain them?” – “what’s happening with the worker retention payment, will it be extended?” 

“These are just a few examples of the questions we will be exploring on what is set to be a fantastic day.”

A jam packed program anchored by some of ECEC’s most important voices 

With an enviable network of trusted partners across the ECEC sector and a growing experience in delivering high quality events, The Sector has leveraged its strengths to create a program and team of participants that will underwrite a first class experience for all attendees. 

Session 1: ECEC Workforce Policy Environment – Exploring the past, present and future

Hosted by Jason Roberts, Founder and CEO of Sector Publishing, the starter session of the event will explore how ECEC workforce policy is evolving towards a more educator centric mix of legislation, whilst touching on areas like Fee Free TAFE and skilled migration pathways and how the landscape might evolve as Labor’s second term unfolds. 

Session 2: Educator Wellbeing – The power of wellbeing programs in ECEC settings

Hosted by Anthony Semann, founding partner of Semann and Slattery, the event’s second session will see a range of early learning providers with proven credentials and track records in delivering the very best of team wellbeing programs and practices in their organisations come together to discuss this key topic. Anthony’s deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in this area guarantees a fascinating discussion that will not only inform but empower listeners. 

Session 3: Attraction and Retention – How do you build, and keep, your dream team

Hosted by Catharine Hydon of Hydon Consulting, this session will delve deeper into the mechanics of building, and retaining, a dream. The importance of culture, capability alignment, recruitment strategies, expectation setting, having the “difficult” conversation are all on the table with Catharine’s extensive experience in this important area ensuring no stone is left unturned in topic areas discussed. 

Session 4: Fireside Chat – In Conversation with an ECEC Hero – “Myra Geddes”

And to wrap up the Forum Fiona Alston, The Sector’s editor, will sit down with the amazing Myra Geddes, the founding Social Impact General Manager at Goodstart Early Learning who as well as being a qualified teacher has also held senior policy positions at state and federal level for an intimate conversation about her inspiring leadership journey, insights and learnings gathered along the way and perhaps most importantly thoughts on where we are as a sector and where we are headed. 

The forum will conclude with networking drinks hosted by The Sector, giving attendees the opportunity to exchange ideas, deepen professional relationships, and continue the conversation beyond the day’s sessions.

To learn more about the forum, click here.

To register, click here or contact Anna Boshell at [email protected].