Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett to headline fireside conversation at The Sector’s ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum

As anticipation builds for The Sector’s ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum 2026 in Melbourne, the closing fireside conversation with Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett is set to be one of the day’s most anticipated sessions.

In conversation with Fiona Alston, Editor of The Sector, Professor Neilsen-Hewett will reflect on her professional journey, the research that has shaped her thinking, and the system-wide challenges now facing early childhood education and care.

The discussion will explore inclusion as one of the sector’s most pressing issues, connecting workforce capability, educator wellbeing, leadership decision-making and the question of whether current models are keeping pace with the reality experienced by children, educators, families and services.

Recognised nationally for her work across early childhood education, child development, family wellbeing and public policy, Professor Neilsen-Hewett brings academic depth, practical insight and a deep respect for the profession.

Jason Roberts, Founder of The Sector, said Professor Neilsen-Hewett’s contribution to the forum would be a defining moment of the day.

“Cathrine brings a rare combination of academic depth, practical insight and deep respect for the profession,” Mr Roberts said.

“She has an extraordinary ability to make complex ideas accessible and to challenge the sector to think bigger, with both courage and compassion.”

Professor Neilsen-Hewett’s work has long emphasised that quality outcomes for children are inseparable from the conditions, capability and wellbeing of the adults who support them.

Her leadership continues to influence how services approach pedagogy, professional learning, organisational culture and evidence-informed practice.

A conversation grounded in the realities facing the sector

The fireside chat will be intentionally conversational and reflective, offering delegates the opportunity to step back from policy and operational pressure and consider the broader systems supporting children, educators and services.

The session will begin with Professor Neilsen-Hewett’s professional journey, including the experiences, research and sector engagement that have shaped her thinking.

It will then move into a deeper discussion about inclusion as a system-wide issue, particularly the increasing complexity services are experiencing around children’s behaviours and support needs, and the impact this has on educator confidence, wellbeing and workforce sustainability.

The conversation will also explore the role of leadership in navigating competing pressures, including enrolment demand, staffing challenges, family expectations, regulatory responsibilities and the need to keep children’s best interests at the centre of decision-making.

The session will ask whether existing structures, including funding, ratios, workforce preparation, inclusion support and enrolment processes, are still fit for purpose in the current environment.

A session designed to inform, challenge and inspire

The session, titled In Conversation with an ECEC Champion, will explore three connected themes:

• Professional journey and sector insight — the experiences that have shaped Professor Neilsen-Hewett’s career, research and contribution to early childhood education.

• Inclusion, capability and wellbeing — how the sector can better support educators and services to respond to children’s needs in meaningful and sustainable ways.

• System reform and the future of ECEC — what needs to change if Australia is to build a more inclusive, child-centred and sustainable early childhood system.

Professor Neilsen-Hewett’s story is one of persistence, intellectual rigour and a deep belief in the transformative power of early childhood education.

Her influence spans classrooms, universities, policy tables and national reform agendas, making this conversation a rare opportunity for sector leaders, educators, policymakers and researchers alike.

Interactive Q&A

The final part of the session will be dedicated to audience questions, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly with one of the sector’s most respected voices and consider how the discussion applies to their own services, teams and leadership contexts.

Don’t miss this landmark conversation

With the ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum set to deliver a powerful mix of professional learning, sector connection and strategic insight, the fireside chat with Professor Neilsen-Hewett is expected to be a defining moment of the day.

“Events like this matter,” Mr Roberts said.

“They give our sector the space to reflect, connect and build the confidence needed to lead through complexity.”

Tickets are in high demand

Spaces are limited for this intimate session.

Register now to secure your place or contact Anna Boshell at [email protected] for more information.