Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) - Welcome
Acknowledgment of Country
Children's Voices Conference 2026
CVC2026 is an interdisciplinary international conference that provides a platform for sharing research about innovative methods, theories, and partnerships with children, families, and practitioners. It supports social justice both during childhood and in the childhood sector.
CVC2026 is organised by the Charles Sturt University Children’s Voices Centre and is an opportunity to present research in a virtual online space. CVC2026 showcases the work of seven outstanding keynote presentations as well as 144 oral presentations.
- STREAM 1: Creating a more inclusive world for children: International interdisciplinary research
- STREAM 2: Children Draw Health Global Online Gallery
CVC2026 is held entirely online and asynchronously from 1–3 September 2026. There is no registration fee, and there are no fees to present or view the presentations.
Papers are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 10, and SDG 17.
Our hope is that this conference supports social justice during childhood and in the childhood sector across the world. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in organising, presenting, and participating in CVC2026. We particularly thank Professor Neena Mitter (Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Research), who has championed our endeavours. Thank you, everyone.
Associate Professor Kathy Cologon, Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod, and Associate Professor Tamara Cumming
Charles Sturt University Children’s Voices Conference 2026 Conference Co-chairs
Dr Carolyn Gregoric
Charles Sturt University Children’s Voices Conference 2026 Conference Secretary
Emma Hayes
Charles Sturt University Children’s Voices Conference 2026 Conference Administrator
Conference Proceedings Book
Download Here
PDF, 2.51MB
Keynote Speakers
1. Amplifying the voices of children with disabilities in the health sector: An overview of WHO initiatives
Dr Mélanie Gréaux
World Health Organization, Switzerland
2. Leaving no child behind: Global trends and transformative actions in early childhood development and parenting support
Dr Chemba Raghavan UNICEF Global Center of Excellence, Nairobi, Kenya
3. Beyond Fauxclusion: Generative listening for an inclusive world
Dr Zinnia Mevawalla University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom
4. Weaving play into the national fabric: What can we learn from international leaders in children’s right to play?
Robyn Monro Miller AM
Play Australia (IPA Australia Inc), Australia
5. Stories that shape us: ABC Kids Early Education and the power of reflective media engagement
Laura Stone
Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) Kids, Australia
7.
Panel 1: Children’s perspectives on the Australian Disability Discrimination Act: Barriers, fairness and belonging
Panel 2: Child friendly healthcare: Children’s perspectives from the Children Draw Health project
Children’s Advisory Group with Associate Professor Kathy Cologon
Charles Sturt University Children’s Voices Centre
Children's Voices Conference: International interdisciplinary research
Presentations By Topics
- All
- Children's communication
- Children's health and disability
- Children's inclusion
- Children's learning and activities
- Children's rights, voices, and perspectives
- Children's services workforce and policy
- Presentations
- All
- Children's communication
- Children's health and disability
- Children's inclusion
- Children's learning and activities
- Children's rights, voices, and perspectives
- Children's services workforce and policy
- Presentations
CVC2026-611 – Early childhood educators’ confidence and willingness to teach STEM: A systematic review with a focus on engineering
Rajy Xavier, Ikon Institute of Australia, Australia
CVC2026-612 – Understanding and responding to children’s vulnerability: What educators need from professional learning
Alison Watson, Federation University, Australia
CVC2026-613 – Views of preschoolers on digital technologies
Ora Segal-Drori, The Academic College Levinsky-Wingate, Israel; Islam Abu Asaad, Sakhnin College for Teacher Education, Israel
CVC2026-614 – Co-designing the English classroom: Amplifying adolescent voice, agency, and belonging
Alice Elwell, Queensland Academy for Creative Industries, Australia
CVC2026-615 – Inclusion and play-based learning: Visual narratives on the Australian early childhood organisation’s websites imagery
Nilufar Jahan, Gurdian Childcare and Education, Australia; Abm Ahasan Raqib, Monash University, Australia; Fatema Taj Johora, Australian Catholic University, Australia
CVC2026-616 – Pathways to inclusion for LGBTIQ+ families: Learning from families’ voices in maternity and child and family health
Cyrena Hunt-Madden, Charles Sturt University, Australia; Adam Johns, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, NSW Health, Australia
CVC2026-617 – Listening to families: Access to support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with communication needs
Cyrena Hunt-Madden, Charles Sturt University, Australia; Ebony Lewis, University of New South Wales, Australia; Alison Purcell, Western Sydney University, Australia; Rona Macniven, University of New ...
CVC2026-618 – Listening beyond words: Supporting children’s voices through multimodal expression in diverse classrooms
Sultana Yasmeen Jamal, Independent Researcher, United States
CVC2026-619 – From voice to action: Embedding children’s environmental rights through measurable participation in early childhood education
Gabby Millgate, Woden Valley Early Learning Centre; Australian Association for Environmental Education, ACT, Australia
CVC2026-620 – Children’s perspectives: ‘Inclusion is playing together’
Arifa Rahman, Charles Sturt University, Australia; Lucia Zundans-Fraser, Charles Sturt University, Australia; Shukla Sikder, Charles Sturt University, Australia
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The work of the Children’s Voices Centre supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 8, 10, 17 (and others). Each CVC2026 presentation will be aligned with relevant SDGs.
Children’s Voices Global Online Gallery
Children are invited to share their ideas about belonging by creating drawings, artwork, podcasts or postcards about being together, feeling included, or being part of something. Submitted works will be displayed in a global online gallery. To submit a child’s work, please use the online submission forms here: