The OPEN Symposium 2024 offered invaluable insights across four days, focusing on elevating young voices, early intervention in family support, and advancing care for vulnerable children and families. With over 600 attendees, the event highlighted transformative approaches in youth engagement, family violence prevention, and Aboriginal evidence building, thanks to expert speakers and rich presentations from diverse organisations
The first two days of the Symposium were packed with powerful discussions on key issues in child and family services.
Day 1 Highlights:
Day 2 Highlights:
All recorded sessions are now available below, sorted by theme for easy access. Huge thanks to our presenters and attendees for bringing these conversations to life!
Professor Ann Sanson of the University of Melbourne, is a leading expert in child development, addressed the profound effects of climate change on children and future generations in her keynote. With over 40 years of expertise, Sanson highlighted the vulnerability of children to climate impacts, from mental health issues like anxiety and PTSD to disruptions in their development. She emphasized the urgency of climate action and its disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities, advocating for a climate justice perspective. Sanson provided actionable strategies for supporting young people, fostering resilience, and empowering them to take action.
Resource list:
During this keynote presentation, Gulsum Adas from the eSafety Commissioner highlighted the importance of creating environments where children feel safe to seek help, and the need to engage the broader community in recognising and responding to online risks.
Although the presentation wasn’t recorded, find below a range of valuable resources available to help community organiaations and practitioners navigate these critical issues.
The new hub offers a one-stop destination for resources, tips, and advice to protect children from online harm. Key features include:
Developed with input from community organisations, services, and practitioners, the hub also includes a toolkit with ready-to-use communications, making it easier to adapt and share vital online safety information at any time.
Explore the full range of resources here: eSafety Hub for Families
Explore sessions that bring youth voices to the forefront, with insights on authentic engagement, empowerment, and creating safe spaces for young people. These sessions highlight the importance of listening to youth voices and integrating their perspectives into community initiatives. Don’t miss out on valuable strategies for effectively empowering and engaging young people in meaningful ways.
Discover presentations that center on strengthening the Aboriginal evidence base to improve outcomes for First Nations children and families. Learn from experts who shared research and practical insights on how to strengthen culturally sensitive practices in supporting Aboriginal children and families.
Explore innovative approaches to early intervention and effective parenting strategies that support children and families at critical points in their development. These sessions cover evidence-based practices for supporting resilience and wellbeing in young people, offering practical tips for those working in the field.
Engage with sessions focused on creating better outcomes for young people in care and those with lived experience of the care system. These presentations emphasise the importance of tailored support and the role of advocacy in shaping a brighter future for children and young people in care.
The OPEN Symposium would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Thank you to VACCA, Anglicare Victoria, CSnet, Berry Street, Impact Initiative and WCIG
