ACT Education Directorate

Education and Care Regulation and Support (ECRS) hosted the symposium. It covered governance and leadership in the non-government school sector.Sean Moysey, Registrar of ACT Non-government Schools and Executive Branch Manager of ECRS shared some key findings about ACT school enrolment trends.Adrienne Day, Director Day and Hodge Associates, shared her experience as a board chair of a non-government school. Adrienne provided practical advice and guidance to support schools to embed strong governance and understand their legal responsibilities.The symposium closed with an interactive panel discussion, fostering a dialogue about governance and leadership. This opportunity provided a platform for participants to exchange questions, opinions, knowledge, and ideas about governance and leadership responsibilities.

Dr Leanne Gibbs, Sarah Wilcox, Amanda Tobler, Teresa Thomas and Katherine Hellwig

Sarah Wilcox, Operations Manager, Wonderschool with over 30 years' experience in both the profit and non-profit sectors, a Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Sarah Bampton and Teresa Thomas, Quality Engagement Program, CECA, ACT Education Directorate. Katherine Hellwig, Executive Director of Children's Services and Emily Andrews, Quality Support Officer, YWCA Canberra

Dr Leanne Gibbs, Senior Lecturer, School of Education,Charles Sturt University specialising in leadership, policy, and advocacy in early childhood education. A published author, podcaster, and Board Member, Leanne brings deep expertise in organisational leadership and workforce development,championing children's rights and ECEC sector advancement nationally and internationally.

Children's Education and Care Assurance (CECA) hosted itssecond ACT Early Childhood Education and Care Symposium at the National Museum of Australia.This year it explored governance requirements under the National Quality Framework and how to embed good governance in ECEC.Attendees were welcomed by Minister Yvette Berry, DeputyChief Minister, Minister for Early Childhood Development and Minister for Education, who spoke about the Legacy building work of developing new leaders in the sector. Respected academic Dr Leanne Gibbs from Charles SturtUniversity talked about good governance and leadership theory in early childhood settings and the realities that come with it. She spoke about her own varied experience and about developing empowered teams who are accountable and responsible even touching on embracing compliance to foster high-quality governance and leadership.The CECA Quality Engagement Program Team who presented on Quality, its roads blocks, questions and how to leadership and governance promote sustainable quality improvement. YWCA Colleagues shared their Quality Improvement plan journey and learnings from the being part of the Quality Engagement Program.Sarah Wilcox, from Wonderschool, with over 30 years'experience in both the profit and non-profit sectors, a Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors discussed what good governance looks like in practice, including the responsibilities of those in management positions.The ACT ECEC Professional Learning Network and theleadership group who are supporting the design and implementation were introduced by Amanda Tobler, from ELM, a dedicated advocate for children and young people. With over 30 years of experience in the social services sector, including early education and care.The symposium concluded with a panel discussionabout governance and leadership

Full recording of all presentations.

This meeting concluded with a panel discussion involving presenters and OSHC sector representatives.

Communities at Work colleagues shared insights on engaging and collaborating with children, families and the wider school community to enhance educational programs. Provider level quality assurance systems, and critical reflection strategies were also shared with participants.

CECA's Quality Assurance Assistant Directors Jessica Annerley and LaurenKapper provided an overview of the quality in ACT OSHC settings and diverseways that OSHC can meet or exceed the NQF.

National and local National Out of School Hours Services Alliance (NOSHSA)representatives provided an update on current priorities, activities andinitiatives of NOSHSA.

Associate Professor Jennifer Cartmel from Griffith University and Kylie Keane at Keen About unpacked the role of critical reflection.

Clare Brookes, Senior Director at CECA provided an overview of the ACT OSHC sector landscape and update on national work relevant to the OSHC. This included an update on the Child Safety Review under the National Quality Framework (NQF).

Digital Documentation: What do we know and what SHOULD we know? Associate Professor Kate Highfield

Gender Equity for Early Years Education Dr Red Ruby Scarlet, Activist, Early Childhood Teacher-Researcher, Consultant, Artist and Academic and Holly Edney, Assistant Director, Gender Equality Initiative in Schools, ACT Education Directorate

Welcome, Acknowledgement of Country and CECA Update Leah Partridge, Assistant Director, Regulatory Policy and Intergovernmental Coordination Clare Brookes, Senior Director, Education and Care Regulation and Support

Sean Moysey, Dr Kathy Cologon, Jodie Griffiths-Cook, Karen Toohey and Tracey Harkness

Karen Toohey, Discrimination, Health Services, Disability and Community Services Commissioner, ACT Human Rights Commission

Jodie Griffiths-Cook is the ACT Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner, ACT Human Rights Commission 

Tracey Harkness, ACT Senior Practitioner, ACT Officer of the Senior Practitioner, Community Services Directorate

Dr Kathy Cologon, Principal Consultant at Toward Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education at Macquarie University, Sydney

Sean Moysey, Registrar of Non-government Schools & Executive Branch Manager, Education and Care Regulation and Support, ACT Education Directorate

Facilitated by Sean Moysey with Christina Keeble, Jodie Griffiths-Cook, Karen Toohey, Tracey Harkness and Rhi Sugars

Rhi Sugars and Christina Keeble

Rhi Sugars, Director, Atypical Educator

Tracey Harkness, ACT Senior Practitioner, ACT Officer of the Senior Practitioner, Community Services Directorate

Karen Toohey, Discrimination, Health Services, Disability and Community Services Commissioner, ACT Human Rights Commission

Jodie Griffiths-Cook, ACT Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner, ACT Human Rights Commission

Christina Keeble, Chief Executive Officer, Christina Keeble Consulting

Katy Haire, Director-General, ACT Education Directorate & ACT Deputy Chief Minister, Ms Yvette Berry, Minister for Early Childhood Development and Minister for Education and Youth Affairs

CECA Update Sean Moysey, Executive Branch Manager, Education and Care Regulation and Support, Education Directorate Early Childhood Education Pay and Conditions Research Professor Sheila Degotardi, Early Childhood Education and the Director of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education, Macquarie University Review of Child Safety Arrangements under the National Quality Framework Lisa McCoy, General Manager, National Projects, ACECQA Creating a Child Safe Environment in ECEC Settings Michael Pecic, Chief Executive Officer, In Safe Hands Reconciliation in Education Amy Duncan, Sector Engagement, Narragunnawali, Reconciliation Australia

Welcome and Introduction Sean Moysey, Executive Branch Manager, Education and Care Regulation and Support, Education Directorate Reflecting on theory and research Professor Sandie Wong, Macquarie School of Education and Co-Deputy Director of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood

With Ben Russell, Abby Arora, Helen Chan, Heidi Metten, PJ Aguilar, Lyndall Read and Professor Sandie Wong

Lyndall Read, Chief Executive Officer, ACT Teacher Quality Institute

PJ Aguilar, Executive Officer, Baring Early Learning Centre

Helen Chan, Director and Heidi Metten, Early Childhood Teacher, University Preschool & Child Care Centre

Benjamin (Ben) Russell, Team Lead Preschool Pathways Partner and Abby Arora, Early Childhood Community Coordinator. Early Childhood Policy, Education Directorate

Katherine (Katie) Walsh-Smith, Assistant Director, Universal Access Team, Early Childhood Policy, Education Directorate

Day 1 – Morning Session CECA Update Sean Moysey, Executive Branch Manager, Education and Care Regulation and Support, Education Directorate

Associate Professor Marianne Fenech, Director, Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) Program, University of Sydney Amanda Tobler, Managing Director, ELM Abby Guanzon, Centre Director, Harrison ECC, Northside Community Services Alice Castrission, Preschool and School Age Care Officer, Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn Natasha Finnigan, General Manager, Kids Biz Out of School Hours Care Programs Liam McNicholas, Executive Director Communications and Advocacy, Northside Community Services

Amanda Tobler, Managing Director, ELM

Associate Professor Marianne Fenech, Director, Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) Program, University of Sydney

Sean Moysey, Executive Branch Manager, Education and Care Regulation and Support