Safer Together: Practical Strategies for Strengthening Child Safety

You’re invited to a free sector-wide webinar

Now more than ever, the early childhood sector is stepping up to lead on child safety.

Join Child Australia for a national webinar focused on practical solutions, stronger systems and shared responsibility — because protecting children must be at the heart of everything we do.

This session will move beyond headlines and crisis response, offering evidence-based, actionable strategies to create safer environments in every early learning setting, everywhere in Australia.

🗓️ Thursday 31 July
🕑 2:00pm AWST
💻 Free Live Webinar
🎙️ Panel of experts across education, child protection, policy & regulation
🆓 No cost. Open to all sector professionals, leaders & families

 

Meet the Expert Panel

Hear from national child safety agencies, jurisdictional regulators, ACECQA, family advocates, child protection specialists and early childhood providers with hands-on experience.

More speakers will be announced soon!

Together, we’ll explore:
⚠️ Red flags and early intervention strategies
📣 Clear escalation and reporting pathways
🤝 Sector gaps and opportunities for stronger cross-agency collaboration
👀 How educators and families can recognise & respond to inappropriate adult behaviours

 

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Special Guest

 

Hon. Minister Sabine Winton BA BPS MLA
Department of Communities WA
Minister for Education; Early Childhood; Preventative Health; Wheatbelt

 

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Speakers

Georgie Dent
The Parenthood
CEO

Georgie Dent is the CEO of The Parenthood, Australia’s leading parent advocacy organisation representing over 80,000 parents, carers and supporters.

She is a best-selling author, former lawyer and prominent advocate for children, families, gender equity and mental health. The Parenthood champions paid parental leave, access to quality early childhood education and care and family-friendly workplaces. She is a mum of three and lives in Sydney with her husband & co-partner in chaos.

Gabrielle Sinclair
ACECQA
CEO

Gabrielle Sinclair is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) which is the independent national authority for the Early Childhood Education and Care sector’s National Quality Framework.

Gabrielle commenced her career as a teacher and has held senior executive positions in a number of Queensland Government portfolios including Education, Infrastructure, Planning, Local Government and Corrective Services.

Before her appointment to ACECQA in January 2017, Gabrielle was Deputy Director-General, Early Childhood and Community Engagement in the Queensland Department of Education and Training.

Gabrielle has degrees in teaching and education, a Master’s degree in Education and an Executive Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Michael Petrie
ACECQA
General Manager – Workforce, Engagement and Research

Michael Petrie is General Manager, Workforce, Engagement and Research, and leads ACECQA’s functions relating to national workforce policy, qualifications and skilled migration assessments, research and evaluation, communication, and stakeholder engagement. As part of his responsibilities, he also leads ACECQA’s national customer enquiries team and its family focused website Startingblocks.gov.au.

Michael also has extensive experience working with government and senior leaders from the public sector, industry, unions and peak representative groups.

Kayelene Kerr
eSafeKids
Founder, Child Safety Advocate & Body Safety, Cyber Safety and Pornography Education Specialist

Kayelene Kerr is recognised as one of Western Australia’s most experienced specialist providers of Protective Behaviours, Body Safety, Cyber Safety, Digital Wellness and Pornography education workshops. Kayelene has featured on Australian and international television broadcasts, radio programs and in print media.

Kayelene is passionate about the prevention of child abuse, sexual exploitation and sexual violence, drawing on over 24 years’ experience of study and law enforcement, investigating sexual crimes, including technology facilitated crimes. Kayelene believes protecting children from harm is a shared responsibility and she aims to support and inspire the trusted adults in children’s lives to talk about challenging topics.

Kayelene has presented to international audiences and has delivered keynote addresses and workshops at Education, Child Protection, Health, Family and Domestic Violence and Community Services conferences. Kayelene has also presented to many primary and secondary school parents, carers, educators, students, government and non-government departments and service providers.

 

Nicole Talarico
Talarico Consulting
Early Years Consultant

Nicole Talarico is best known as an advocate for child safety and children’s rights, with a social justice lens always present.

Nicole’s career spans thirty years in the education and care sector having engaged in roles supporting high quality practice and compliance. Nicole is an author, her book Asserting a Culture of Child Safety was written to guide education and care services to create and maintain physical, emotional, spiritual, social and culturally safe environments inclusive of online safety. Nicole’s insights have been shared at inter/national conferences in the capacity as key note speaker and MC and through targeted professional development projects.

Nicole undertakes Quick Response work and training for the Department of Education in VIC, NSW and WA due to her extensive experience in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Nicole’s work has been published in a range of early childhood sector peak body publications, inclusive of podcasts and webinar platforms.

 

Katy Brennan
NT Department of Education and Training
Director – Quality Education and Care NT

Katy Brennan is the Director of Quality Education and Care Northern Territory (QECNT), with a vast range of experience in early childhood education and regulatory leadership. With a background spanning Long Day Care, Preschool, Primary School, and OSHC settings, and prior regulatory experience in Victoria, Katy has a deep understanding of the sector.

Joining QECNT in 2020, Katy has progressed through key roles, including Authorised Officer and Assistant Director, before being appointed as Director in early 2024. As Director Katy provides strategic leadership in the implementation of the National Quality Framework across the NT, driving regulatory excellence, sector collaboration, and improved safety and outcomes for children. Now proudly calling the Territory home, she is committed to growing a strong, responsive and high-performing regulatory authority.

 

Lauren Bowen
Education and Care Regulatory Unit (ECRU) WA
Team Leader Assessments

Lauren has worked in the early childhood education and care sector for the past 28 years, 18 of which she has dedicated to supporting sector regulation and quality as part of the Department of Communities and the Education and Care Regulatory Unit.

 

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Meet the Facilitators

Tina Holtom
Child Australia
CEO

Tina Holtom is a values-led leader with a deep commitment to creating better systems for children, families and the people who support them.

With a career spanning over 20 years in education, child development and executive leadership, she brings both lived experience and strategic clarity to some of the sector’s most complex challenges.

Tina has led transformational reforms, reimagined service models and built bold cross-sector partnerships, all while championing the teams at the heart of the work.

Her leadership style is grounded, forward-thinking and unapologetically people-first.

Whether influencing policy, steering organisational change or mentoring emerging leaders, Tina’s focus remains firmly on building a future where every child can thrive, and every professional feels seen, supported and empowered to lead change.

 

Connie Borg
Child Australia
Sector Specialist Team Leader

Connie has over 25 years’ experience in a variety of community and education and care services, specialising in infants and toddlers.

Along with strong community involvement, Connie believes support and guidance to build educator capacity is the best way to drive quality sustainable practice.

Connie has been with Child Australia for over eight years and is passionate about the professional development and growth of educators in the ECEC sector.