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Landmark conference to explore parents’ impact on children’s education

Media releases

29 May 2017

Leading minds from across the world will gather in Melbourne next week to shine a light on how parents can best engage with their children’s learning.

From 6-8 June 2017, the Parent Engagement Conference will be jointly hosted by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) and national children’s education charity The Smith Family. The conference is proudly supported by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.

The three-day event featuring a stellar line-up of speakers including five international keynote speakers, will bring together over 600 researchers, policymakers, practitioners and parents for a national discussion on parent engagement, helping to improve the learning and wellbeing of Australia's children.

ARACY CEO Stephen Bartos said that the conference, part of ARACY’s national research project in parent engagement, will highlight the evidence that parent engagement improves children’s learning and wellbeing outcomes, regardless of a parent’s skills or background.

“Our research shows effective parent engagement has potential to be a game-changer to improve Australian educational outcomes and overcome disadvantage. Parent engagement is far more than parent-teacher interviews or volunteering for the school canteen. It is about parents working as a team with educators to encourage and support children’s learning. The key question is how parent engagement can work better so as to improve student outcomes,” said Mr Bartos.

Across all sectors, there is a strong desire for developing capacity in parent engagement, evident from interest in the new Parent Engagement Network, fostered by ARACY. The conference is expected to invigorate parent engagement skill development and information sharing on a national scale, developing a strong community of practice in Australia.

The Smith Family’s chief executive Dr Lisa O’Brien said non-government organisations are well-positioned to help facilitate parent engagement within families, schools and the wider community.

“Parent engagement is central to our Learning for Life program, supporting thousands of disadvantaged young Australians with their education. We’ve seen firsthand that children with engaged parents do much better at school, regardless of their family’s income or background.

“When parents are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to support their child’s learning, the benefits for children extend well beyond their education into their working lives. The Smith Family is proud to be partnering with ARACY to advance parent engagement in Australia and identify new ways to help parents in this crucial role,” said Dr O’Brien.

For more information about the conference, please visit: pecaustralia.com

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au