Panel sessions
Some of the most complex challenges facing children, families and communities cannot be understood from a single perspective alone. Our panel discussions bring together leading voices from research, policy, practice and lived experience to explore emerging issues, share diverse viewpoints and examine opportunities for meaningful change.
AI and family wellbeing: navigating risks and opportunities
Wednesday 9 September 4:15 pm
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly influential part of everyday life, changing how young people learn, seek information, solve problems and engage with the world around them. As AI technologies rapidly evolve, families, communities and institutions are navigating new opportunities, challenges and questions about trust, relationships and decision-making.
Bringing together perspectives from research, policy, practice and lived experience, this panel will explore how young people are currently using AI, what these emerging technologies mean for families and family wellbeing, and how systems can respond in ways that support positive outcomes. The discussion will examine emerging evidence, identify areas where knowledge gaps remain, and consider how Australia can take early, informed action to maximise the benefits of AI while supporting children, young people and families to thrive.
Facilitator
Kira Duggan, Group Head, Child and Family Wellbeing, Safety and Harms, Australian Institute of Family Studies
Panellists
- Kirra Pendergast, Founder and Chief Strategist, Safe on Social
- Beth Chapman, Researcher and Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Canberra
- Paul Clark, Executive Manager, Education Prevention and Communities, eSafety Commissioner
- Charvi Angelina Voola, eSafety Youth Ambassador
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination in child protection and systems reform
Thursday 10 September 9:40 am
Across Australia, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and communities are leading the conversation about how child and family service systems can be reshaped to better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, while also providing broader lessons for service system reform to benefit all children and families. Central to this work is self-determination: ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lead the design, delivery and decision-making processes that affect their children, families and communities.
This panel will explore emerging approaches to Aboriginal-led child and family service systems, including reforms in jurisdictions that are strengthening Aboriginal decision-making and leadership in child protection and family safety. Drawing on policy, practice and community perspectives, panellists will discuss why self-determination matters, what these reforms look like in practice, and how governments and non-Indigenous services can support and align with Aboriginal-led approaches. The discussion will also consider broader opportunities for systems reform, including shifting from punitive responses towards family support models that address the underlying drivers of vulnerability and disadvantage.
Bringing together leading Aboriginal voices in child and family wellbeing, safety and systems reform, and led by Dr Paul Gray, this session will provide valuable insights into the transformative potential of Aboriginal-led solutions and the pathways to achieving better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities.
Facilitator
Paul Gray, University of Technology Sydney, Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research
Panellists
- Sue-Anne Hunter, National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People
- Olga Havnen, Chief Executive Officer, Our Ways Strong Together
- Catherine Liddle, Chief Executive Officer, SNAICC – National Voice for our Children
Longer lives, housing wealth and family support: what ageing means for intergenerational equity
Thursday 10 September 3:40 pm
Details coming soon.
Addressing systems weaponisation: identifying and responding to a distinct form of domestic and family violence
Friday 11 September 3:40 pm
Domestic and family violence (DFV) can extend beyond direct abuse, with legal, administrative and financial systems sometimes leveraged as tools of coercion and control. This panel will examine the growing evidence concerning legal and systems abuse, exploring how people using violence may manipulate family law processes, child support arrangements, and a range of government service systems to continue harm, including long after separation.
Crucially, the panel will draw on research, practice and policy perspectives to explore efforts to respond to and prevent this insidious form of abuse, as well as addressing the entrenched challenges that it can create for victim survivors. In particular, the discussion will consider recent legislative and policy reform designed to address legal systems abuse, including changes in the family law context; pending reform in the Child Support and Family Tax Benefit systems; and an increasing focus of government on identifying and addressing abuse across the diverse systems with which Australian families interact.
Bringing together leading voices from the judiciary, academia, government and family violence fields, this session will provide a timely and practical discussion on strengthening legal and wider systems to better recognise, respond to and prevent systems abuse.
Facilitator
Elena Campbell, Theme Head, Child and Family Safety, Australian Institute of Family Studies
Panellists
- Professor Kay Cook, Swinburne University of Technology
- Professor Heather Douglas, University of Melbourne Law School
- Micaela Cronin, Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner
- Padma Raman PSM, Executive Director, Office for Women, Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet