Friday 2nd August 2013 West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul

Friday 2nd August 2013
West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Keynote Speakers
Michael Grose
Margaret Sims
Enquiries: Wendy McEachern
Ph. 5662 5150 / E: wendy.mceachern@ucgipps.org.au
PROGRAM
7:45—8:45 am
Registration
9:00—9:05 am
Plan for the Day
Julie McCrossin
9:05—9:15 am
Welcome to Country
Eileen Harrison
9:15—9:20 am
Introduction
Tracey Gibson
9:20—10:35 am
Keynote Speaker— Including Question Time
facilitated by Julie McCrossin
Margaret Sims
10:35—11:05 am
Morning Tea
11:05—12:20 pm
Morning Concurrent Sessions
12:20—1:10 pm
Lunch
1:10—2:25pm
Afternoon Concurrent sessions
2:25—3:40 pm
Keynote Speaker—Including Question Time
facilitated by Julie McCrossin
Michael Grose
3:40—4:25 pm
Panel Discussion
Facilitated by Julie
McCrossin
4:25—4:30 pm
Evaluation and Farewell
Julie McCrossin
CONFERENCE VENUE
The 2013 Strong Foundations for Early Childhood Conference will be held at West Gippsland
Arts Centre. This venue is located at the Corner of Smith Street and Albert Street, Warragul.
www.wgac.org.au
Phone: 03 5624 2555
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MASTER OF CEREMONY
Julie McCrossin
Julie McCrossin gets people talking and she is renowned for her
warmth, humour, intelligence and commitment to social justice.
After 20 years as a broadcaster with ABC Radio National, ABC
TV and Network Ten, she is now a freelance journalist and
facilitator. She presented the radio show “Life Matters” on ABC
Radio National for 5 years, covering countless health, welfare
and educational topics with a frequent rural focus. Julie was
also a team leader on the media quiz show “Good News Week”
for 5 years on Network Ten and ABC TV.
Currently Julie presents a travel program for Qantas and
facilitates conferences and seminars nationally. Julie offers a
range of interactive formats that stimulate audience discussion
while keeping people on topic and on time. Julie is especially
known for her capacity to guide forums on sensitive topics,
such as suicide prevention, mental health, child protection and
family law.
Julie has qualifications in the arts, education and law and she is
an Ambassador for the Fred Hollows Foundation, CAN (Mental
Health) Inc and FRANS Inc (Making Things Happen for People
with Disabilities). www.juliemccrossin.com
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MORNING KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Professor Margaret Sims
Margaret Sims is Professor of Early Childhood at the University of New
England. Her research interest is focussed around quality communitybased services for children and families. This includes research into
quality child care, family support, integrated service delivery and
inclusive service delivery.
She has undertaken research using cortisol, a biomarker of stress, in
children attending child care, indigenous child care and parenting.
She has set up the first integrated early childhood service delivery
graduate course in Australia.
Her recent publications include 3 books: “Programme planning for Infants and Toddlers: in
Search of Relationships”, “Social Inclusion and the EYLF: A way of Working” and “Building
Integrated Connections for Children, their Families and Communities with Karl Brettig”.
MORNING CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Planning for Resilience—Professor Margaret Sims

Music in an Inclusive Environment—Louise Dorrat

Raising Kids to Thrive—Michael Grose

Learning Stones Project—a safe space within the school community to explore self/
indigenous culture—John Murray

Making Fun of Learning: Play and learn groups as a means of engaging and working
with parents with young children who have experienced disrupted attachment, trauma
and dislocation—Joanna Bock and Kristen Poel
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MORNING CONCURRENT SESSIONS—DESCRIPTION
Planning for Resilience—Professor Margaret Sims
This workshop will review the latest research relating to resilience, and the role of adults in supporting the
development of resilience. Participants will be challenged to reflect on their underpinning values in working with
children and families and offer ways of conceptualising their work that builds on rights and resilience.
You will be offered a framework for planning that both addresses the principles and practices in the Early Years
Learning Framework and also the ideologies associated with a resilience and rights-based approach to working.
Music in an inclusive environment—Louise Dorrat
This workshop will be practical and encourage you to use simple everyday resources and become energised and
excited about incorporating music in your daily program for each child:

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
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Investigate beat and rhythm with children
Learn strategies to include children from diverse backgrounds
Learn simple rhymes, ditties and raps
Discover simple resources
Raising Kids to Thrive—Michael Grose
Kids need strong, confident leadership ……… from their parents. That’s quite a challenge these days as kids grow up at
the speed of light and parents are unsure of their place in the lives of kids.
And today’s kids live with pressures that previous generations did not have to face. They grow up with fewer siblings,
which means parents focus their attention more sharply on them. NO wonder so many kids today are so anxious and
risk-adverse. But it does not have to be that way!
In this no nonsense presentation, Michael Grose shows parents and carers how to be confident family leaders, able to
develop real confidence, character and resilience—the keys to kids’ future success in this ever-changing world.
This is what will be covered in the presentation:

Why developing a sense of ‘other’ in kids is vital for their future success and their well-being

How parents can get cooperation from tough nuts without using bribery, shaming or blaming

The three keys to developing real confidence in kids

How to help kids grow and learn from many of the social difficulties they face

Discover how parents can work together even when they are not together

Learn about the incredible power of the kitchen table and to use it to build confidence, character and resilience
in kids and a super-strong family

How parents can get more joy from their parenting
In this presentation, Michael will give parents clear direction based in current research and best parenting practice. In
fact, he’ll waste no time teaching you about the Thriving Way of Parenting so your parents will feel more confident,
less anxious and better equipped to raise kids today.
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Learning Stones Project—a safe space within the school community to explore self/
indigenous culture—John Murray
There are numerous benefits and opportunities associated with Learning Stones from strengthening local indigenous
and non-indigenous community partnerships, capacity building of students and community members to developing a
supportive mechanism that assists both the primary transition to secondary college, and the leadership and skill
development of secondary students, to lead primary students in their cultural journey sharing their experience and
perceptions.
There are six key objectives in the planning and design of ‘Learning Stones’:
1.
An outdoor learning place
2.
A safe space at school
3.
An identified place for cultural engagement, ceremony and instruction
4.
To enlist the advice and direction of family and community in developing ‘Learning Stone’ site
5.
To provide a starting point/forum for school staff to engage in local knowledge and practice
6.
Promote and celebrate Koorie culture, lifestyle and its people in all schools across our region
Making Fun of Learning: Play and learn groups as a means of engaging and working with
parents with young children who have experienced disrupted attachment, trauma and
dislocation—Joanna Bock and Kristen Poel
Berry Street’s Early Learning is Fun (ELF) Play and Learn Groups are working with vulnerable families including refugee
communities across metropolitan Melbourne in an effort to build trusting relationships between vulnerable families
and the universal Early Years sector. The Play and Learn Groups offer a model where [bicultural] family support
workers co-facilitate groups in local community based services alongside Education and Care staff seconded from local
services. ELF Play and Learn staff receive regular professional development as a group ensuring a consistent approach
and have access to an Infant Mental Health practitioner for individual consultations. The Groups employ an approach
that affirms the role of the parent as the child’s first teacher. Staff appreciate that parents often have unmet needs
themselves that obstruct their capacity to be in tune with their children’s needs. Staff offer an empathic response to
parents needs, modelling a relationship based learning approach and one that promotes enjoyment, achievement and
self regulation. Critical to this approach is the use of digital recording, cultural respect and use of first languages and a
flexible but predictable program that includes reflection time with families
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AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSIONS

Building Children’s Resilience—particularly those growing up in vulnerable circumstances—Louise Dorrat

Embedding Quality—Embedding the Frameworks—Exploring the practices that bring
quality and resilience alive—Catharine Hydon

Creating a Circle of Security in South Gippsland—Jenny Enter and Sara Janssen

Understanding and Responding to Young Children who have experienced abuse related
trauma—Pat Jewell

Dance and Movement—Howard Wilkinson
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSIONS—DESCRIPTION
Building Children’s Resilience—particularly those growing up in vulnerable circumstances—
Louise Dorrat
In our risk averse and rushed world, we are becoming increasingly over protective of children. As a result, children’s
spontaneous play is being replaced by more structured activities. Play is crucial for children to be able to make sense
of their social worlds and to build their resilience.
We know that children, who grow up in vulnerable circumstances, can be exposed to negative experiences that have
an impact on their life. If we can support young children and their families from the beginning to help them to achieve
their aspirations and develop a healthy sense of wellbeing, the circumstances will have a reduced impact on their
lifelong learning.
As a result of children growing up in a risk averse society, children’s spontaneous play is being replaced by more
structured activities and only 35% of children play outside. “Outdoor spaces with plants, trees, rocks, mud and water
invite open ended interactions, spontaneity, risk taking and a connection with nature” (NQS, 2010).

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How can we encourage children to take risks while ensuring their safety?
How can we help young children learn the skills that build their resilience so they can manage life's inevitable
ups and downs?
What is vulnerability and what does it mean to children, families, communities and to your work?
What does the NQF say about children taking risks?
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Embedding Quality—Embedding the Frameworks—Exploring the practices that bring
quality and resilience alive—Catharine Hydon
Engaging with the Learning Frameworks is central to meeting the National Quality Standard. We cannot achieve
quality outcomes for children without embedding the framework ideas into our everyday practice. The commitment
to children’s learning, families’ connection and our professional practice run through the documents like a seam of
gold and build resilience in ourselves and those we work with. Our job is to ensure we understand those elements, can
enact them in the daily encounters we have with children and their families and make them visible to others. This
session will take another step into our understanding of the quality framework, this time with the NQS and the
frameworks in mind. Participants are expected to have read the document many times and are invited to bring
practical examples of their work that we will use to link to the elements of the NQS. Likewise we will use our collective
experience to consider what the quality standards look like in practice and how we use the frameworks to ensure
quality.
Creating a Circle of Security in South Gippsland—Jenny Enter and Sara Janssen
Circle of Security is not a prescriptive program, where parents are taught developmental ages and stages. Instead this
program provides a framework for parents to respond to children’s emotional needs. This gives the parents flexibility
and adaptability. Parents reflect on their own experiences of being parented and are able to then make choices around
their own parenting. The principles of Circle of Security are relevant for all families with young children.
Parents have been talking about the program to their friends, who are now keen to participate in a future course.
Parents are also feeling more confident in their own parenting, describing situations in which they reacted to their
children in new and more effective ways. This very positive feedback has inspired the team to offer the Circle of
Security program in other locations in South Gippsland in 2013.
Understanding and Responding to Young Children who have experienced abuse related
trauma—Pat Jewell
This session is designed for those who work with children under 5 years who are displaying abuse-related trauma
through their behaviour. These children experience significant difficulties in their day to day lives – regulating their
emotions, adapting their behaviour, and lacking social skills to fit in with the group of children and be able to learn.
This session will explore the most recent research on the impact of abuse-related trauma on brain development,
provide a framework for understanding the consequences of abuse for a child’s cognitive, social and emotional
functioning and explore implications of practice.
This session will provide:

knowledge of brain development of children under five years

understanding of trauma ,especially relational trauma

knowledge of impact of relational trauma on the brain development

information on how trauma effects behaviour
Dance and Movement—Howard Wilkinson
The presentation looks at how movement, dance and yoga can be used to enhance wellbeing and resilience for
vulnerable children. This interactive workshop will focus on working with children / teens from 2yrs to 20yrs who have
a wide range of disabilities. We will look at the use of music and props to encourage and explore movement and
creativity, create a sense of community and belonging through both gross and fine motor skills while building
confidence and awareness. Participants will be asked to move around with music and props, some simple yoga, laugh,
smile and even get down on the floor.
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AFTERNOON KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Michael Grose
Michael is a former primary teacher and experienced
presenter who has been entertaining, informing and
inspiring audiences around Australia, in Singapore and
the UK for over twenty years.
He is the author of eight books for parents, including
Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want
to Change It, as well as his latest book, Thriving!
Currently, he is the Body and Soul parenting columnist reaching six million Australians every
Sunday.
A recognised media figure, Michael regularly appears on television programs such as The
Today Show, Sunrise and The Morning Show and has a regular fortnightly half hour parenting
segment on ABC radio Victoria.
Michael is a past winner of the Golden Mike Award for the Victorian Speaker of the Year. He
is one of only 100 Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in Australia, which is the only
internationally recognised designation for speaking professions.
Michael is the only person to conduct a parenting seminar to federal politicians in Parliament
House, Canberra.
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CONCURRENT SPEAKERS
Louise Dorrat
Louise has extensive experience in managing early childhood services including Inclusion Support.
She currently teaches at Deakin University in the IKE program (Institute of Koorie Education)
and conducts professional development nationally. Her energetic workshops have taken her
around Australia conducting sessions ranging from the NQF, leadership, and the arts. Louise
is part of a team of educators running the first Bush kinder in Victoria. This bush kinder’s
natural environment invites spontaneity, risk taking and a connection with nature
John Murray
John has worked in Koorie communities for the past 28 years, in Justice, Health, the last 9
years in Indigenous Education. Currently working with the Department of Education and Early
Childhood Development in Koorie Engagement and Support. John is married with 3 adult
children and has lived for the past 3 years in Bass Coast
Joanna Bock
Joanna has worked in Australia for over thirty years but was trained in the UK and worked
early in her career for the London Borough of Hackney and later for the London Borough of
Tottenham.
Joanna holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, an ESL Teaching Certificate, post graduate
Qualifications in Social Work and Family Therapy, as well as a Diploma in Social
Administration and a Diploma of Business. Joanna is a member of the AASW. Over the past
30 years Joanna has worked as a Social Worker and Senior Manager within the statutory
Child Protection system as well taking on broader management roles within Local
Government and in the non-government sector in Victoria.
Kristen Poel
Kristen received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of South Australia in
1998. She commenced her career in generalist social work before turning to
Vocational Rehabilitation with CRS Australia in South Australia, Victoria and
Tasmania where she specialised in vocational assessment and vocational counselling.
Later she gained her registration as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and
worked as Program Manager of a Family Relationship Centre in Regional South
Australia. In 2012 after a move with her family to Gippsland, Victoria, Kristen
commenced the role as Early Childhood Development Project worker for South
Gippsland and Bass Coast. Her most recent work has been the development of the
Morwell ELF Play and Learn Group which has focused on the engagement of
vulnerable families in the early education of their children. Kristen is also the mother
of 5 children including a 9 year old boy and 6 year old quadruples.
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CONCURRENT SPEAKERS
Catharine Hydon
Catharine has extensive experience in the early childhood sector in Australia and overseas.
Beginning as a teacher in a sessional kindergarten program Catharine has gone on to manage
a range of services for children and their families from childcare in the Northern suburbs of
Melbourne to school based programs in Papua New Guinea.
Following her work in children service’s, Catharine moved to a support and training role with
early childhood professionals at the FKA Multicultural Resource Centre, where she
coordinated the training program. Catharine then moved to the Brotherhood of St Laurence
where she led several early-years projects supporting children and families experiencing
disadvantage. A major feature of her work was a collaborative project to progress the initial
establishment of an integrated service on a public housing estate in inner Melbourne.
Pat Jewell
Pat has a background in teaching in the area of early childhood development, specialising in
working with families where the children had experienced trauma and disability. For the past
twenty years, Pat has worked in the field of parenting, focusing her work on preventing child
abuse in families at risk.
Jenny Enter
Jenny began as a general nurse, quickly moving into midwifery and then into Maternal & Child
Health. For the last 23 years the core of her work in MCH has been working with vulnerable
families, with Monash City Council, Canterbury Family Centre (UnitingCare) and currently in South
Gippsland Shire. Jenny develops strong professional relationships with families based on trust and
respect.
Sara Janssen
Sara’s career has followed a winding path, beginning with environmental science, moving into
science museums and then into teaching, including teaching Science to at risk teenagers at a TAFE
in rural New South Wales. Sara has co-ordinated the Supported Playgroups program in South
Gippsland Shire for the past three years, running traditional playgroups and innovative programs,
and working collaboratively with a variety of other agencies.
Howard Wilkinson
Howard has been teaching dance and movement since 2005 after completing his Diploma of
Dance and Movement at Mangala Studios, Carlton and Certificate 4 in Disability.
He currently teaches at several SDS and Special schools around Melbourne, lectures at Vic
University as part of their Bachelor of Early Childhood education course and teaches at Mangala
Studios Melbourne.
His background includes over 30 years experience in theatre and dance including collaborations
with La Mama and adults with disabilities. He has 3 children and lives and works in Melbourne.
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TRADE STALLS
The 2013 Strong Foundations for Early Childhood Conference has been financially supported
by UnitingCare Gippsland
This project is part of the Family Support Program funded by the Australian Government.
REGISTRATIONS
To register to attend the Conference, please go to our website www.ucgipps.org.au and click
on the Conference link. There are a limited number of sponsored places available to parents
and carers (conditions apply).
If you do not have access to the internet or wish to apply for one of the sponsored places,
please contact Wendy McEachern on 5662 5150 .
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