Brighter BeginningsThe first 2000 days of life.

Virtual conference Friday 30 October 2020

10:00 am – 12:55 pm

Introduction

Brighter Beginnings is a whole-of-government initiative that seeks to:

• Raise awareness about the critical importance of the first 2000 days of a child’s life for strong health, wellbeing, education and life outcomes

• Connect services and support across government to provide a seamless experience for families

• Provide easy access to timely information and services for parents and carers as they make choices for their child.

The virtual conference will be opened by The Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC, NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning and will bring together government leaders, policy makers, leading experts and researchers.

It will explore:• Evidence to support focusing on the first 2000 days of life from

health, wellbeing and education perspectives

• The customer journey from family planning to the first day of school

• Opportunities to work together for improved citizen experiences and life outcomes

• Translating evidence to child and family-centred best practice

Event program

10:00 am – 10:15 am

Welcome by Amy Brown, Deputy Secretary, Strategy and Delivery, Department of Premier and CabinetOpening remarks by the Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC, NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning

10:15 am – 11:00 am

The first 2000 days of life evidence and call to action – Assoc. Prof. Elisabeth Murphy

Associate Professor Elisabeth Murphy presents evidence on why the early years of life from conception to age five are important for health and wellbeing outcomes. She will share insights into what organisations and other nations are doing to give children the best start in life and how we can learn from their efforts.

11:00 am – 11:30 am

Improving parents’ customer experience in the first 2000 days of a child’s life – NSW Department of Customer Service

Join us for a presentation of early research findings on common goals and needs of parents, their experiences in interacting with service providers, and areas of opportunity to improve the NSW customer experience for the first 2000 days of a child’s life.

11:30 am – 11:40 am

Program break

Concurrent sessions

11:40 am – 12:10 pm

Focus on New Fathers pilot program – NSW Ministry of Health

NSW Health recognises that dads have a unique role as parents and that becoming a dad is an important time in a man’s life. To support dads in this crucial time, NSW Health has introduced a pilot program called Focus on New Fathers which features the digital platform SMS4Dads. SMS4Dads regularly reaches out to new fathers to encourage them to develop a relationship with their baby as early as possible.

11:40 am – 12:10 pm

Supporting the transition to school – NSW Department of Education

Moving from early childhood education to primary school is a key milestone for children and families. The Department of Education has developed a suite of resources to assist early childhood professionals and children to engage in effective preparation for school.

11:40 am – 12:10 pm

The importance of first 2000 days evidence in understanding disadvantage and vulnerability – NSW Department of Communities and Justice

Our understanding of the first 2000 days of life is important for the design and delivery of services for children and families experiencing elevated levels of disadvantage and vulnerability. This understanding has influenced work across the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). The session will include an exploration of the DCJ Targeted Early Intervention program which operates in most communities across NSW. It delivers early help and support to families who are trying to manage complex disadvantage.

12:10 pm – 12:50 pm

Panel discussion

Join NSW Government representatives and leading health and education academics as they discuss the critical importance of the first 2000 days of life. The panel will focus on how the evidence and research translates to child and family centred best practice, including recovery from COVID-19.

12:50 pm – 12:55 pm

Closing remarks

The Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC, Minister for Education and Early Childhood LearningSarah was born and raised in Gunnedah and has spent most of her life living in North-West New South Wales. She continues to live in Gunnedah with her husband Anthony and their daughters Annabelle and Matilda.

Since entering parliament in 2011, Sarah has served on numerous committees and as Parliamentary Secretary for Regional and Rural Health and Western NSW. In 2017, Sarah was appointed Minister for Early Childhood Education, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Assistant Minister for Education.

In 2019, Sarah was appointed as Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning.

Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in politics, international relations and sociology from the University of New South Wales.

Before entering Parliament, Sarah worked for former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson in Gunnedah and the Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton, in Moree.

Sarah is a graduate of Gunnedah High School and is passionate about education, particularly in regional and remote parts of NSW. As Minister, she is committed to ensuring every child – no matter where they are from – has access to a top-quality education.

Sarah is an active supporter of local community organisations and has been involved with several local charities including the Gunnedah Family and Children’s Services and Gunnedah Paediatric and Maternity Support (PRAMS).

Sarah’s eldest daughter is in year 1 at their local public school, and her youngest is attending a local early childhood education service. Sarah has a deep love for the regions she represents. Growing up in regional NSW has provided her a keen understanding and appreciation for the issues affecting communities right across NSW, and in particular a connection with the regional and rural people she represents.

Meet the key speakers and panel members

Our Brighter Beginnings: the first 2000 days of life program includes an exciting group of health and education experts, as well as senior leaders in NSW Government. Here is a brief snapshot of the key speakers and panel members:

Amy BrownAmy Brown is Deputy Secretary and head of the Strategy and Delivery group at the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. The group advises the Premier on major whole-of-government policies, programs and projects. Amy is passionate about delivering outcomes that improve quality of life for citizens, provide access to opportunities for individuals and deliver value for taxpayers.

Felicity CoxAs Executive Director of the Customer Experience Unit, NSW Department of Customer Service, Felicity Cox works to ensure customers are at the heart of government decision making and service delivery. Felicity leads the NSW Government’s customer experience research program and supports the delivery of priority customer initiatives.

Associate Professor Elisabeth MurphyElisabeth Murphy has led the development, implementation and monitoring of child and family health programs within NSW Health and across the country. She is a Senior Clinical Advisor with the Health and Social Policy Branch at the NSW Ministry of Health. For many years she has developed, promoted and implemented the work that is now the First 2000 Days Framework.

Associate Professor Sandie WongSandie Wong is an Associate Professor at Macquarie University. Sandie conducts collaborative research with academics, early childhood organisations and practitioners, and governments, on early childhood practices, workforce issues and educator well-being. She is particularly concerned with the role early childhood education plays in reducing disadvantage and marginalisation.

Jo LawrenceJo Lawrence is an Executive District Director with the Department of Communities and Justice. Over her career, Jo has worked in Human Services across the private, government and non-government sectors in NSW and other jurisdictions. She has called Western NSW home for the past 23 years and has a strong interest in helping reshape service delivery models to improve outcomes for rural and remote communities.

Luke Escombe – Conference facilitator Luke Escombe is a songwriter, patient health advocate and Dad, who takes his struggles with chronic illness and fatherhood and turns them into laughter and music. Luke is an ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis Australia and The Gut Foundation, a member of the NSW Arts Advisory Panel, a teaching artist with the Sydney Opera House’s Creative Leadership in Learning Program and creator of award-winning kids band, The Vegetable Plot.