Day 2 recordings and presentations
We're currently updating this page with presentation slides as they become available. Please check back regularly for new content.
The presentations below represent a selection of conference sessions that presenters have approved for sharing. This is not a complete collection of presentations from AIFS Conference 2026.
Keynote – Hon Professor Cathy Humphreys
Disrupting established policy and practice: addressing the intersection of DFV and substance use
Panel: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination in child protection and systems reform
- Facilitator: Prof Paul Gray, Child Protection Advocacy Hub, Uts Jumbunna
- Speakers:
- Catherine Liddle, Chief Executive Officer, SNAICC - National Voice For Our Children
- Olga Havnen, Chief Executive Officer, Our Ways Strong Together
- Sue-Anne Hunter, Commissioner, National Commission For Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Children And Young People
Defence and veteran family wellbeing
- Psychosocial wellbeing and family functioning of Australian Defence families during military-to-civilian transition
Amber B. Cohen, Gallipoli Medical Research - Adapting evidence-based relationship education for Defence and veteran couples
Dr Melissa Bakhurst, La Trobe University & Karen Green, Open Arms - Application of single session thinking for military and veteran families
Dr Martine Cosgrove, The Bouverie Centre - ‘The family joins too’ ... and Defence joins the family
Ruth Clare, Monash University
Socio-economic disadvantage and child and family wellbeing
- Interactions between household and neighbourhood socio-economic disadvantage in early childhood development
Dr Sarah Gray, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute - The $60 billion price tag: Economic impacts of child poverty in NSW
Neha Shah, NSW Council of Social Service & Brad Ruting, Equity Economics - The purpose of social services and why Australia needs progressive universalism
Barbara Honeysett & Dr Ryan Martin, both from the Centre for Policy Development - Australia’s accommodation responses to Family and Domestic Violence – a contemporary review
Dr Renee Lane, AHURI
Child safety/protection and intersections with DFSV
- Addressing systemic disadvantage for Muslim communities within Victoria’s child protection system
Dr Kate Hammond & Mariyam Fahmy, both from the Australian Muslim Women’s Centre For Human Rights - Strengthening service system responses for migrant children affected by family violence
Gemma Tarpey-Brown & Prof Karen Block, both from the Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne - Improving cultural safety: Recommendations for child protection practitioners
Stephanie White, Deakin University & Kaitlyn McVicar, Monash University - Keeping kids connected to culture: The C4 model for reflective multicultural practice
Kathy Karatasas, CulturalWorks,
Children’s voices and codesign for policy and practice
- Children first, always: Children first, always: Building courts that listen
Janet Carmichael, FCFC Children’s Committee & Judge Kylie Beckhouse, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) - Children in their own right: Young people’s voices shaping policy and practice
Kirra, Berry Street & Youna Kim, ANROWS - Measuring safety: Co-designing national indicators with children and young people
Imogen Williams and Rachel Aston, both from ARTD Consultants
Experiences of migrant and refugee families in Australia
- Navigating new forms of bargaining in nuclear homes post-migration
Sana Ashraf, University of Melbourne - Family structures and transitions in Iraqi refugee families: Implications for educators
Dr Seham Shwayli, Victoria University - Strengthening social capital and cohesion of humanitarian entrants through Community Supporter Programs
Dr Charlotte Young, The University of Queensland - The dynamic relationship between social connectedness and health: A multilevel longitudinal analysis
Jingyeong Song, The University of Queensland
Work and family
- Exploring parents’ views and experiences of working from home: A qualitative study
Dr Stacey Hokke, La Trobe University - Family joblessness in Australia: Trends and comparisons
Prof Peter Whiteford, ANU - Unequal pathways: Post-separation care trajectories and gendered financial costs of sole parenthood
Dr Sandra Buchler, The University of Queensland - Employment transitions among humanitarian migrants: Evidence from a decade of BNLA data
Dr Salma Ahmed & Dr Sheenagh McShane, both from AIFS
Gambling harm, lived experience, and recovery
- Coping to control: Understanding gambling experiences to inform harm minimisation policy
Dr Sheenagh McShane and Jas Lowe, both from AIFS - Community-led, culturally informed gambling harm recovery for families: ‘Take the Lead’
Michelle Hage, Arabic Welfare Inc. - Disintegrating families: Financial counsellors as catalysts for recovery from gambling harm
Pam Mutton & Vaishali Kedar, both from the Better Health Network - Gambling and harm to families - lived experience presentation
Judy Avisar & Nelson Nghe, both from SHARC (Self Help Addiction Resource Centre)
Disability and service delivery
- Co-designing safety: Diverse experiences of family violence among young people with disability
Dr Tess Altman & Madeleine Gay, both from Children and Young People with Disability Australia - Building FASD-informed capability across child and family services to strengthen family wellbeing
Simone McKenry, NOFASD Australia - Inclusive home based early learning: Insights from the HIPPY disability inclusion project
Siska Frederick & Cara Nolan, both from the Brotherhood of St Laurence - Peer-led support for parents of children with disability: Early RCT Findings
Dr Tim Moore, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute & Dr Amit Arora, Western Sydney University
Enhancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child wellbeing
- Using Aboriginal participatory action research to develop a trauma-informed Aboriginal parenting program
Dr Celeste Duff & Raheen Williams, both from The Kids Research Institute Australia - Cultural safety as early intervention: Strengthening Aboriginal child and family wellbeing
Jodie Clarke, City of Armadale - Evaluating the Ngala Nanga Mai Parenting Program: An Aboriginal community perspective
Brittany Wilson, Sax Institute - Learning on Country: Martu-Led early childhood and family wellbeing
Phoebe Harrison, Julie Ann Thomas & Revina Dunn, all from Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa & Maxine Gross, The Kids Research Institute Australia
Men's health and wellbeing
- Disability trajectories and employment outcomes in a cohort of Australian men
Dr Sean Martin & Dr Swen Kuh, both from AIFS - The Men’s Table: Healthy masculinities and their impact on families and children
Luke Odgen, The Men’s Table - How men engage with online platforms to navigate fatherhood – Scoping review
Michael Wilson, Movember, Institute of Men’s Health - Adverse childhood experience profiles and pathways to adult mental health in men
Dr Mulu Woldegiorgis, AIFS
Family law - spotlight on DFV
- The recognition of family violence in property proceedings: Has change brought improvement?
Prof Lisa Young, Murdoch University - Safety from family violence through and beyond family court involvement: New evidence
Prof Jenn McIntosh, The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University - Participatory action research to improve children’s participation: Family Law 4 Kids
Dr Georgina Dimopoulos, Southern Cross Uni & Gianna Ziero, Family Law 4 Kids - Evaluation of the Family Law Amendment Act 2023 Assoc Prof Deirdre Howard-Wagner & Mia Stone, both from ANU & Dr Jessica Lothian, Attorney-General’s Department
Practitioner insights on DFV and child maltreatment
- Reducing maltreatment risk for children with a disability: Attachment-focused early childhood intervention
Dr Stacey Alexander, Noah’s Ark Inc - Standing in strength and survival: The Kunga Stopping Violence Program practice framework
Rachel Neary & Chelsea Hayes, both from NAAJA - Domestic violence professionals’ views on co-occurring child sexual abuse and domestic violence
Prof Molly Dragiewicz, Griffith University & Angela Lynch, DV-alert, Lifeline Australia - It’s never too early to talk about child sexual abuse prevention
Hayley Natoli, Project Paradigm
Changing families in changing times
- Couple relationships in Australia today: Changing attitudes, influences and sharing of assets and responsibilities
Dr Rachel Carson, AIFS - The Australian Law Reform Commission’s review of surrogacy laws
Dr Ronli Sifris & Jacinth Pathmanathan, both from the Australian Law Reform Commission - Rethinking family and belonging
Nikki Hartmann & Sharna Ciotti, both from Relationships Australia SA - Are pets truly members of the family? ‘Companion Animals’ in the FLA
Taylor Jobling & Courtney Dolphin, both from Adelaide University
Informal Care - Trends and responses
- Who cares? Trends in the division of childcare among separated parents
Dr Sandra Buchler, The University of Queensland - Health and wellbeing spillover effects of informal care in Australian veteran families
Dr Jie Hu, Gallipoli Medical Research - Families, ageing and the new Aged Care Act: Reform meets multicultural reality
Samhruta Narayanan, FECCA - Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold: Why sibling support is intrinsic
Dr Shannon Schedlich, Siblings Australia
Changing the Narrative: Empowerment, Masculinity and Youth Voice in Gambling Harm Prevention
- A dual approach to gambling harm prevention for young people
CB Nyko & Mark Riddiford, Victorian Department of Health - The value of self-care in the face of gambling harm
Claire Emmanuel, Better Health Network - Guys and gambling: The need for a masculinities-informed approach to sports gambling
Dr Vincent Mancini, The Kids Research Institute Australia - Case study for co-design, centering youth voice reducing normalisation of gambling harm
Sarah-Jane Blunt, IPC Health, Gamblers Help – Young Leaders of the West
Panel: How longer lives, care needs and changing family forms are reshaping wealth and financial security across generations
- Facilitator: Catherine Andersson, AIFS
- Speakers:
- Dr Liz Allen, Demographer, The Australian National University
- Patricia Sparrow, COTA Australia
- Matt Flavel, Deputy Secretary, Department Of Social Services
- Prof Wendy Stone, Professor of Housing & Social Policy, Swinburne University of Technology