The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, funded by the AustralianResearchCouncil,involvessixAustralianuniversitiesand over200researchers.Weworkwithinternationaluniversitiesand20 globalandnationalpartners.
Healthy digital lives, understanding how digital technology intersectschildren’slivedexperiencesandprovidingguidanceto families, educators, and policymakers as they navigate this space.
Educational empowerment, equipping children with the skills theyneedtolivetheirbestdigitallives.
Safe digital spaces, making online engagement safer while promotinghealthydigitalrelationships.
The Digital Child Health Forum is a one-day peak event hosted by theARCCentreofExcellencefortheDigitalChild.
This event brings together key stakeholders from government, agencies, industry, and philanthropy with concern or carriage for the health, education, communities, and welfare of children in thedigitalage.
The forum will focus on unpacking the complexities of digital health to support children, and families. It will explore the role of digital technologies in health, across health systems, community andeducation.
Discussions will identify priorities, key considerations, and lessonslearnedfromimplementationandimpact.
8:45 Arrival - Attendee Registration
9:00 Welcome to Country
9:15 Opening remarks
Professor Simon Smith
9:30 Keynote
Professor Dimitri Christakis MD
How AI could support health equity for children and families living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
Morning Tea
Panel discussion
10:40
11:25
Chair: Associate Professor Sonia White
What matters most: priorities for developing digital tools for health and education
Shae Quabba - Children’s Health Queensland
Kathryn Tohill - Starlight
Children’s Foundation
Dr Robert CuthbertRECOVER Injury Research Centre, UQ
Professor Simon Smith is a psychologist and recognised expert in sleep and the developing brain. Simon’s primary interest is to understand the role of sleep and circadianrhythmsinahealthy,safe,andproductivelife,withacurrentfocusontheearly yearsoflife.Simon’sworkwillaimtogrowunderstandingofyoungchildren’ssleepand its connections with screen use and interactions with activity, wellbeing, and stress.
Email:simon.smith@uq.edu.au
AssociateProfessorSoniaWhite
Chief Investigator
Digital Child & QUT
Associate Professor Sonia White leads interdisciplinary research exploring how digital technologies shape children's health, and learning. Working across education, health, andcommunitysettings,shepartnerswithclinicians,educators,andfamiliestotranslate researchintopracticalsolutionsthatimproveoutcomesforchildreninadigitalworld.
Email:sl.white@qut.edu.au
AssociateProfessorDylanCliff
Chief Investigator
Digital Child & University of Wollongong
AssociateProfessorDylanCliff’sresearchfocusesonsupportingchildren’sdevelopment and health through investigating digital technology contexts, such as the types of technology and content children engage with, whether children engage alone or with others,andhowlongchildrenengagefor.Healsohasexpertiseinchildren’smovement behavioursincludingphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviour.
Email:dylanc@uow.edu.au
DrCassandraPattinson
Research Fellow
Digital Child & University of Queensland
Dr Cassandra Pattinson’ research centres around exploring the effects of sleep and circadianrhythmsonhealth,wellbeing,andrecoveryacrossthelifespan.DrPattinsonis aSeniorResearchFellowattheChildHealthResearchCentre(CHRC),anARCDiscovery EarlyCareerAward(DECRA)Fellow,andaSeniorResearchFellowaspartofthetheARC centreofExcellencefortheDigitalChild.Email:c.pattinson@uq.edu.au
ProfessorDimitriChristakisMD Professor of Pediatrics and pediatrician
University of Washington & Seattle Children’s Hospital
Dimitri A. Christakis MD MPH is the George Adkins Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, Editor and Chief of JAMA Pediatrics and Chief Health OfficeratSpecialOlympicsInternational.ProfessorChristakisgraduatedfromYale University, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and completed a pediatricresidencyfollowedbyaRobertWoodJohnsonClinicalScholarshipatthe UniversityofWashingtonfromwhichhereceivedhisMPH.Heistheauthorofover 300 original research articles (H index 107), a textbook of Pediatrics and The ElephantintheLivingRoom:MakeTelevisionworkforyourkids.(September2006; Rodale). In 2010 he was awarded the Academic Pediatric Association Research Award for outstanding contributions to pediatric research over his career. His passion is developing actionable strategies to optimize the cognitive, emotional, andsocialdevelopmentofchildren.Thepursuitofthatpassionhastakenhimfrom theexamroomtothecommunityandmostrecentlytocagesofnewbornmice.
Christakis’laboratoryfocusesontheeffectsofearlyenvironmentalinfluenceson child health and development and his work has been featured on all major international news outlets as well as all major national and international newspapers. He speaks frequently to international audiences of pediatricians, parents,educatorsandpolicymakersabouttheimpactofearlylearningonbrain development.
Clinical Psychologist and Program Lead in Adolescent Mental Health Stony
Lauren Hale, PhD (Professor of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine; Program in Public Health, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University)studiesthesocialpatterningofsleephealthandhowitcontributesto inequalities in health and well-being with current or previous funding from NICHD,NIDDK,NHLBI,NIA,andtheDellaPietraFamilyFoundation.
KathrynTohillistheProgramManagerofDigital Entertainment and Creative Collaborations at theStarlightChildren'sFoundation,whereshe leads nationally delivered programs designed toimprovethewellbeingofseriouslyillchildren and their families. Working at the intersection ofcreativity,digitalinnovation,healthcareand social impact, Kathryn develops experiences that foster joy, connection, resilience and a senseofbelongingforchildrenfacingsomeof life'stoughestchallenges.
She is passionate about ensuring children's voices are heard in the design of digital experiences and advocates for inclusive, safe and meaningful participation in online spaces. Kathryn brings a unique perspective on how technology, storytelling and the arts can be harnessed to create positive outcomes for youngpeople.
DrRobertCuthbert RECOVER Injury Research Centre, UQ
Robert is a Research Fellow who joined the RECOVERInjuryResearchCentrein2024.Heispart of the Technology-enabled rehabilitation team, which focuses on developing more effective and efficient health services supported by technology innovation.
Robert's previous research revolved around the application of Virtual Reality (VR) for burn injury rehabilitation Usingcollaborativedesignwithburn survivors and healthcare professionals, he has developedfunctionalVRrehabilitationprototypes tailoredforburninjuries.
Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service
ShaeisaDesignAnthropologistandexperienceinnovationleaderwhohasworkedinthediversesectorsof health,entertainment,lifestyletechnology,arts,FMCGandfinancialservices.Followingasuccessfulcareerin business communications, she pivoted to attain her Master of Design with a focus on participatory innovation.
Shae now works at the intersection of consumer experience, engagement and service design for social impact,curiousabouttheinfluenceofculture,contextandanindividual’svaluesontheexperiencedesign process.SheiscurrentlytheDirectorofExperience&EngagementatChildren’sHealthQueensland.
PANEL2SPEAKERS
ProfessorAliza Werner-Seidler Black Dog Institute & UNSW
AlizaisaProfessorandClinicalPsychologist attheBlackDogInstitute,UNSWandleads the Adolescent Mental Health Research Group.
Aliza’s research interests include the prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety,andsleepproblemsinadolescents In these areas, she focuses on the developmentanddeliveryofscalabledigital interventions to improve access to evidence-based treatments for young people.
ShealsoleadstheFutureProofingStudy,a contemporary school-based longitudinal cohortstudyintoadolescentmentalhealth, and partners with the education sector to embed and deliver effect programs for studentwellbeing.
DrZacFitz-Walter
Eat More Pixels & Griffith University
RebeccaistheDigitalSolutionsManageratHealth andWellbeingQueensland,wheresheleadsdigital initiatives that make chronic disease prevention moreaccessible,engaging,andeffective.
With a background in public health nutrition, behaviourchange,healthcommunicationanduser experiencedesign,Rebeccaspecialisesincreating evidence-informed and person-centred solutions. She is interested in how digital technologies can improvehealthequityandconnectpeoplewiththe rightpreventivehealthsupportattherighttime.
SheledthedevelopmentofPodsquad,Healthand WellbeingQueensland'splay-basedhealthappfor children and families. Designed to build lifelong healthy habits. Podsquad supports children to learn about nutrition, physical activity and sleep while empowering families to make healthy changestogether.
