Holding the Past, Creating the Future.
Hosted by Early Childhood Australia — the 38th national conference
The ECA National Conference brings together educators, leaders, researchers and advocates from across Australia and internationally. Four days of keynotes, panels and concurrent sessions on the rights, wellbeing and education of children from birth to eight.
Professional bravery in risky play is for educators ready to back themselves — and the children they work with — when it matters. A session about the courage it takes to keep risk in the play, and the practice that makes it possible.
The 2026 conference theme — Holding the Past, Creating the Future — invites the sector to reflect on its policy and practice memory: what we've carried forward, where these ideas come from, and what may have been left out of the dominant narratives of early childhood education and care.
Four days at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with keynote presentations, panel discussions and a rich concurrent program showcasing innovative practice and emerging research.
Registration and full program at ecaconference.com.au.
We speak, train and run workshops across Australia and internationally on play, space and the ecology of childhood. Let's talk.
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