Supporting South Australia’s children to thrive in their early years

To achieve the full development potential of South Australia's children and adolescents.HDA is an independent non-partisan organisation that encourages the use of evidence-based policy along with universal, targeted and clinical interventions designed to maximise the developmental potential of infants, children, adolescents and families in South Australia.HDA is funded and supported by the Channel 7 Children's Research Foundation, University of Adelaide (Robinson Research Institute), University of South Australia, Flinders University, the Department for Education, the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (Women and Kids), Department of Human Services, Department for Child Protection, and Novita.

Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA)

Join us for the Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA) forum held in conjunction with our partner organisation the Department for Education.

Napier lecture theatre (102)

The 2021 Australian Early Development Census results are now available. This 5th collection provides us 13 years of robust trend data about children’s development in 5 key domains: Physical health and wellbeing, Social competence, Emotional maturity, Language and cognitive skills, and Communication skills and general knowledge. Find out if outcomes for our young children are improving or not.This forum will look at what the 2021 AEDC results for South Australian children show us about the trends in children’s development. We will hear about the imperative for the new Office for the Early Years and its significance as a systemic lever for improved child development, children’s wellbeing, governance and partnerships across government and non-government stakeholders. This forum is also an opportunity to take a closer look at the Outcomes Framework for Children and Young People indicators, their interdependency and influence on AEDC results, and to dive a bit deeper into recent findings on the physical development of children in South Australia and considerations we can take in our work toward children’s weight related issues/risks in their early years and later life outcomes including those measured by the AEDC. OUR SPEAKERSDr Yasmin Harman-Smith, Deputy Director, Child Health, Development and Education (inclusive of the Fraser Mustard Centre), Telethon Kids InstituteThe 2021 Australian Early Development Census results for South Australia Dr Yasmin Harman-Smith is a Research Fellow at the Telethon Kids Institute and is the Deputy Director of the Fraser Mustard Centre in South Australia. Since joining the Institute, Yasmin’s work has primarily focused on measuring collaborative approaches to service provision in the community with an interest in developing an understanding of what works and what doesn’t work for service providers and importantly for children and families. Presently, Yasmin manages national support services to AEDC Coordinators and the Australian Government Department for Education and Training for the Australian Early Development Census programme.Jackie Bray, Head of the Office for the Early Years, Department for EducationTaking a strategic level response to the AEDC trend results for South Australian to lift outcomes for children Jackie Bray is the inaugural Head of the Office for the Early Years, the office was established in October 2021 as a single point of strategic leadership for universal early years services across government, NGOs, and the broader Early Childhood sector. Prior to this Jackie has worked in the public and private sector across several senior business executive position both in the United Kingdom and South Australia including UK Health Services, Department for Families and Communities and most recently as the Deputy Chief Executive in the Department for Correctional Service. It was while working in UK Health Service that Jackie found her passion for major service delivery change around changes that affect the community services. Jackie is a professional and strategically minded Senior Executive, with an extensive knowledge and experience of creating partnerships, policy development and strategic reform within the South Australian public service. Jackie is passionate about developing a modern public sector, one with strong and effective leaders and a highly capable workforce equipped to meet the challenges of the modern world.Dr Anne Glover AO, Chair, South Australian Child Development Council, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, UniSA Education Futures, University of South AustraliaHow are they faring? Dr Anne Glover has worked in the Asia Pacific region for the past twenty years, designing, implementing and evaluating international development programs. Her work has focused on supporting partner countries to progress their development goals and reform agendas, while also providing policy and technical advice in early childhood and primary education, community and stakeholder engagement, and system performance monitoring. Anne’s professional interest is early childhood, and she has a long involvement in the early childhood care and education sector, as a practitioner, academic and researcher.Professor Barbara Spears, Adjunct Professor of Education and Social Development, Education Futures, University of South Australia, Member South Australian Child Development Council The hidden cost of young South Australians shaping up for an unhealthy future - Child Development Council Policy Brief #2Professor Barbara Spears is an Adjunct Professor of Education and Social Development at the University of South Australia. Barbara is recognised nationally and internationally for work on youth voice, cyber/bullying, sexting, mental health, wellbeing, and the role of technology in young people’s social relationships. With a particular interest in pre-service teacher education and the translation of research to policy and practice, Barbara has led the following major projects: review of the National Safe Schools Framework (the overarching wellbeing policy framework for all Australian schools); A Public Health Approach to Sexting; Youth Exposure to and Management of Cyber-Bullying Incidents in Australia; and the Safe and Well Online Study: Young and Well Co-operative Research Centre, a collaboration between end-users and industry partners. She is a member of the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion.OUR CHAIRProfessor Carol Maher (HDA Co-Convenor), Professor of Population and Digital Health, Medical Research Future Fund Investigator / Deputy Director of the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), University of South AustraliaOther event information:For those unable to attend on the night a video recording will be available on the HDA website after the event.To optimise registrant participation (particularly those not able to attend live) please submit any questions for speakers before the event up until 5pm Friday 6 May to anne.jurisevic@adelaide.edu.auNetworking and light refreshments will follow the session from 7pm.University of Adelaide (COVID) requirements:Face masks will no longer be required to be worn indoors while on the University of Adelaide campus. Face masks do provide a level of protection from transmission of COVID-19 and some members of the community may still choose to wear a mask when they can’t physically distance from others. The personal choice to wear a mask should be respected.It’s recommended that you continue to follow health advice and maintain social distancing and wash or sanitise your hands regularly. QR code check-ins will also no longer be required on the University campus.

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Supporting South Australia’s children to thrive in their early years

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Supporting South Australia’s children to thrive in their early years

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