Holding the Past, Creating the Future
The 2026 conference theme, ‘Holding the Past, Creating the Future‘ invites us to reflect on our policy and practice memory—what we have carried forward, where these ideas and approaches come from, and what may have been left out or lost within the dominant narratives of early childhood education and care. This theme encourages us to consider the cultural and historical legacies that shape our practices—what we choose to pass on—and the stories our sector will tell about this moment in time, as we continue shaping the future.
We are pleased to advise the 2026 ECA National Conference has been endorsed by the Teachers Quality Institute (TQI) for up to 15 hours of personal development time to contribute towards your teaching accreditation.
Attendance at the 2026 ECA National Conference, either in person or virtually, may contribute towards the maintenance of Proficient Teacher, Highly Accomplished Teacher and Lead Teacher accreditation. Delegates are responsible for self-logging their professional development hours in their NESA online account (eTAMS) and retaining evidence of participation in accordance with NESA requirements.