The Sector to host ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum 2026, advancing national conversation on workforce sustainability

The Sector has confirmed it will once again bring early childhood leaders together for its ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum, returning in 2026 as part of the growing Connect+ series.

With workforce pressures continuing to shape the future of early childhood education and care, the forum positions workforce planning and educator wellbeing not as operational challenges, but as strategic imperatives requiring sustained, sector-wide focus.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, the forum will continue to provide a curated, in-person space for meaningful dialogue, practical insight and sector-wide connection.

Scheduled to be held on Friday 5 June 2026 in the Bourke Room at The Hotel Windsor in Melbourne, the forum will welcome approximately 240 delegates from across the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. Attendees will have access to some of Australia’s leading voices in a comfortable, non-corporate setting designed to support open and purposeful discussion.

“As we move further into 2026, it’s clear that workforce challenges in early childhood education and care are no longer short-term pressures, they are structural realities that require sustained, sector-wide focus,” said Jason Roberts, Founder and CEO of The Sector Publishing.

“We’re seeing a shift in how leading providers are responding. The conversation is moving beyond attraction alone, towards retention, leadership capability and the role that educator wellbeing plays in building stable, high-performing services.

“At the same time, policy reform, increased demand through initiatives like the three-day guarantee, and rising expectations around quality and safety are adding further complexity to the operating environment.

“This forum is designed to bring those conversations together, to unpack what’s changing, what’s working, and how services can respond in a way that is both practical and sustainable.”

Under the theme “Building a Sustainable, Thriving ECEC Workforce,” the 2026 forum reflects a growing shift in how the sector understands its role, with early childhood education and care increasingly recognised as national infrastructure, not a support service.

This event positions workforce planning and wellbeing not as operational challenges, but as strategic imperatives.

The ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum will bring together a broad range of highly respected and influential professionals to share insights and experiences that support decision-makers to be better informed, and to make stronger tactical and strategic decisions.

Over the course of this one-day forum, discussions will explore:

• The policy forces driving workforce and wellbeing dynamics in Australia
• How workforce planning is shifting from short-term response to long-term strategy
• Why wellbeing is now a core strategic consideration for approved providers
• What true leadership looks like in the current ECEC landscape

The forum brings together decision-makers, service providers, policy leaders, peak bodies, training organisations and sector partners, all working toward shaping the future of the ECEC workforce.

This is not another workforce conversation. It is a strategic forum focused on how we design the future of our sector, moving beyond challenges to focus on long-term, sustainable solutions.

The 2026 program will feature four core sessions, each designed to move beyond theory and surface-level commentary, and instead provide practical, experience-based insight from across the sector.

Panel 1: Navigating the ECEC Workforce Policy Environment
 

This session will explore the complex policy settings shaping workforce supply, qualifications, funding and sector growth. 

Panel 2: Building the Future - Sustainable Workforce Planning for our Sector
 

This discussion will focus on long-term workforce planning, including pipeline development, retention strategies beyond wages, leadership succession and aligning workforce supply with future demand.

Panel 3: Wellbeing as Strategy, Not Support
 

This session will reframe wellbeing as a core strategic lever, exploring how systems, leadership and organisational design can support sustainable, high-quality practice and reduce burnout across the workforce.

Special guest: lunchtime session

A special guest presentation will feature during the lunch session, offering delegates an additional opportunity to engage with a leading voice and gain fresh perspective in a more informal setting.

Fireside Chat: In conversation with an ECEC leader
 

The forum will conclude with a fireside conversation featuring Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, interviewed by Fiona Alston, Editor of The Sector. The discussion will explore leadership, sector reform, workforce development and the human dimensions of leading in early childhood education.

Special guest: closing session

The program will also feature a special guest appearance at the close of the day, providing a final reflection on the themes of workforce sustainability, leadership and sector direction.

A defining feature of the Connect+ series is its intentionally intimate format, creating space for genuine connection and open conversation.

The forum prioritises depth over scale, enabling participants to engage directly with speakers, unpack real challenges and exchange ideas in a collaborative environment.

The event will conclude with networking, providing further opportunity for attendees to build relationships, continue discussions and reflect on key insights from the day.

As workforce pressures continue to shape the future of early learning in Australia, initiatives such as the ECEC Workforce and Wellbeing Forum play an important role in supporting shared understanding, capability building and sector-wide progress.

By bringing together diverse perspectives and practical experience, the forum contributes to a stronger, more sustainable early childhood workforce.

Further details will be released in the coming weeks.