--- title: ECMS Conference 2026 description: Discover how relationships in early childhood foster learning, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging, shaping children's connections and community involvement. image: https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hubfs/0A5A5151.jpg --- ![ECMS\_Logo\_Teal\_22 1](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/EMCS%20Logos/ECMS_Logo_Teal_22%201.png?width=112&height=88&name=ECMS_Logo_Teal_22%201.png) [Careers](https://www.ecms.org.au/careers/) [Blog](https://www.ecms.org.au/blog/) [Contact](https://www.ecms.org.au/contact-us/) [Search](https://www.ecms.org.au/search-results/) [Kindergarten](https://www.ecms.org.au/kindergarten/) [Childcare](https://www.ecms.org.au/childcare/) [Find a centre](https://www.ecms.org.au/find-a-centre/) About About Overview [Who we are](https://www.ecms.org.au/about-us/) [Leadership team](https://www.ecms.org.au/partnerships/) [Partnerships](https://www.ecms.org.au/partnerships/) [ECMS policies](https://www.ecms.org.au/policies-page/) [Child safety commitment](https://www.ecms.org.au/child-safety-commitment/) [Book a tour](https://www.ecms.org.au/contact-us/) ![logo-combined](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-combined.png?width=98&height=32&name=logo-combined.png) ![logo-combined](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-combined.png?width=98&height=32&name=logo-combined.png) [Book a tour](https://www.ecms.org.au/contact-us/) (03) 8481 1100 [Kindergarten](https://www.ecms.org.au/kindergarten/) [Childcare](https://www.ecms.org.au/childcare/) [Find a centre](https://www.ecms.org.au/find-a-centre/) About [Who we are](https://www.ecms.org.au/about-us/) [Leadership team](https://www.ecms.org.au/partnerships/) [Partnerships](https://www.ecms.org.au/partnerships/) [ECMS policies](https://www.ecms.org.au/policies-page/) [Child safety commitment](https://www.ecms.org.au/child-safety-commitment/) [Careers](https://www.ecms.org.au/careers/) [Blog](https://www.ecms.org.au/blog/) [Contact](https://www.ecms.org.au/contact-us/) [Search](https://www.ecms.org.au/search-results/) ###### Share on [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/ecms-conference-2026) [Follow us on LinkedIn](http://twitter.com/share?url=https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/ecms-conference-2026) [Follow us on Twitter](mailto:?subject=ECMS&body=https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/ecms-conference-2026) [Home](https://www.ecms.org.au/) [Blog](https://www.ecms.org.au/blog/) ECMS Conference 2026 # ECMS Conference 2026 #### Safe places of being and belonging Sep 24, 2026, 3:06:04 PM By Joni Prescher Share What helps children and families feel that they truly belong? This is one of the questions more than 800 of our team members explored at our ECMS Conference 2026. Our annual conference is a great opportunity for our teams from across ECMS to come together, learn from others and reflect on their work with children and families. This year, the theme ‘A safe place of being and belonging’ encouraged us to think about the relationships, environments and everyday experiences that help people feel seen, heard, known and valued. For us, this learning matters. Early childhood education continues to change, and our teams need opportunities to build their knowledge, hear different perspectives and think deeply about their practice. What does it mean to belong? Throughout the day, our speakers explored belonging from different perspectives. Keynote speaker Jase Williams asked us to think about what it means to truly feel seen, heard, known, valued, felt, held and loved. He explored how relationships and connection create belonging and a felt sense of safety, bringing the focus back to how we show up for children and each other every day.  Jase: ‘If children don’t feel safe, they don’t stop having big emotions, they just stop sharing them with you.’ Different ways of thinking Country, culture and identity were also important parts of the day. Uncle Perry Wandin, Wurundjeri Elder, welcomed us to Country. Professor Melitta Hogarth (Director of Ngarrngga at the University of Melbourne) and Rebecca Hand (our Director of Early Childhood Education) yarned about the Ngarrngga Early Learning Needs Assessment (ELNA). The findings showed a strong willingness across our teams to grow their knowledge and build stronger connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.  Across a wide range of breakout sessions, our teams explored relationships with families, Aboriginal perspectives, anti-bias practice, co-regulation, positive behaviour, learning and more. Closing keynote speaker Alison Hill invited us to think about navigating change, staying connected to purpose and how we show up at our best as we move forward together.  Together, these different topics and perspectives gave our teams new ideas to consider and take back into their everyday work. Learning that continues beyond Conference The ideas explored at Conference are not just for one day. They become part of the conversations, questions and reflection that continue across our services. This means continuing to think about not only what we do, but why we do it and how it feels for the children and families we work with. Different perspectives can challenge our thinking, strengthen our practice and help us see where we can do things differently. Creating safe places of being and belonging is ongoing work. What we learn, question and reflect on matters in how we show up each day – in our relationships, our practice and the experiences we create for children and families. ## Read On [![](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Cambrian%20Way%20Nov%202025%20(20)-1.jpg?width=352&name=Cambrian%20Way%20Nov%202025%20(20)-1.jpg)](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/the-extraordinary-in-the-everyday) ### [The extraordinary in the everyday](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/the-extraordinary-in-the-everyday) At ECMS, we know that some of the most meaningful learning happens in the everyday moments of a... [![](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/2024.05.27_ECM_LOWRES_@MAXROUX__-45-1.jpg?width=352&name=2024.05.27_ECM_LOWRES_@MAXROUX__-45-1.jpg)](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/growing-together-relationships-at-the-heart-of-learning) ### [Relationships at the heart of learning](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/growing-together-relationships-at-the-heart-of-learning) A group gathers around a shared discovery.  Two children work together to solve a problem. Children... [![](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/2024.05.27_ECM_LOWRES_@MAXROUX__-109-1.jpg?width=352&name=2024.05.27_ECM_LOWRES_@MAXROUX__-109-1.jpg)](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/from-old-technology-to-12000-meals) ### [From old technology to 12000 meals](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/from-old-technology-to-12000-meals) When it was time to replace some of our older laptops, monitors, phones and iPads, we discovered... 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Northcote VIC 3070 ![ECMS\_Logo\_Teal\_22 1](https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ECMS_Logo_Teal_22%201.png?width=112&height=88&name=ECMS_Logo_Teal_22%201.png) [Privacy Policy](https://www.ecms.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Privacy-Policy.pdf) © Copyright 2024 ECMS ABN: 13 012 989 761 [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ecmschildren) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/early-childhood-management-services/) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.instagram.com/ecms_childhood/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Joni Prescher", "url" : "https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/author/joni-prescher" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-28T03:16:39.097Z", "datePublished" : "2026-09-24T05:06:04.000Z", "headline" : "ECMS Conference 2026", "image" : [ "https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hubfs/0A5A5151.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blogs.ecms.org.au/blog/ecms-conference-2026", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blogs.ecms.org.au/hubfs/Primary_Logo_Teal_Sml.jpg" }, "name" : "ECMS" } } ```