Digital Childhoods Summit Policy,
practice, and
Ngunnawal Country (Canberra)
13-14 June 2024
futures
With thanks to the children who contributed artwork and videos, including: Alex, Ari, Ava, Caleb, Ella, Elodie, Esther, Felix, Finn, Fox, Harper, Jamie, Luka, Madi, Maggie, Maria, Mila, Miller, Noah, Oscar, and Ramona.
Welcome to the Digital Childhoods Summit
Thank you for joining us at the inaugural Digital Childhoods Summit.
With a focus on policy and practice, the Summit will be a peak meeting of the many key stakeholders - including government, regulators, industry, and the community sector - who care for children and their digital lives.
The result of the Summit will be a landscape report, articulating the current opportunities and challenges for supporting children’s wellbeing and safety within the digital world. This report will be used by the Digital Child and attendees to inform research, policy, and practice.
Discussions at the Summit will occur under Chatham House rules, participants are free to use information from the Summit, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s) should be revealed.
We hope you find the next two days useful and we look forward to working with you to support children’s wellbeing and safety within the digital world.
Resources on digital childhoods
Australian Children of the Digital Age: Ongoing longitudinal study of Australian families that investigates how digital technologies are changing early childhood.
Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children: A UNICEF-led report on digital technology (gaming), play, and child well-being.
Manifesto for a Better Children’s Internet: A how-to guide for creating an internet more suitable to the needs of children.
Stories by Digital Children: Four free-to-download storybooks for children, by children on balancing digital media use.
Moving screen use guidelines: Nine reasons why screen use guidelines should be separate from public health 24-hour movement guidelines.
Digital Child Ethics Toolkit: Ethical considerations for research on digital childhoods.
Digital Child outputs Research study
External report produced in partnership with Digital Child
Children are growing, learning, and connecting with digital technology. The rapid pace of growth and change in this space means that there is an urgent and compelling need to create positive digital childhoods for all Australian children: this is the mission of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child (Digital Child).
The Digital Child is a national research centre, funded by the Australian Research Council and comprised of over 200 researchers from across Australia in addition to national and international partners. Our research is designed to help inform three key areas that impact and influence on children’s lives – technology, education, and policy.
Find out more: digitalchild.org.au.
Our Steering Committee
The Digital Child would like to acknowledge the contribution of our Summit Steering Committee, who shaped the program. We thank them for contributing their time and expertise.
Professor Simon Smith (Chair), Digital Child
Ainsleigh Hawke & Kelly Tallon, Office of the eSafety Commissioner
Benjamin French, SNAICC
Jackie Coates, Telstra Foundation
John Livingstone, UNICEF Australia
Day One
Thursday, 13 June 2024
Time Details
8.45 - 9.15 Arrival
National Ballroom 3, Hotel Realm
9.15 - 10.30 Welcome to Country
Setting the scene
Professor Simon Smith, Chief Investigator, Digital Child
Opening remarks
Distinguished Professor Susan Danby, Director, Digital Child
Principles for a Better Children’s Internet
Professor Michael Dezuanni, Chief Investigator Digital Child
10.30 - 11.15 Morning tea
Terrace outside of National Ballroom 3
11.15 - 12.05
Panel session: Safety
Julie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner
Sarah Davies AM, CEO, Alannah and Madeline Foundation
Lucy Thomas OAM, CEO, PROJECT ROCKIT
Chair - Professor Michael Dezuanni, Chief Investigator, Digital Child
12.05 - 1.00 Roundtable discussions on safety theme with attendees, led by Digital Child researchers at each table
Digital Childhoods Summit
Time Details
1.00 - 2.00 Lunch
Terrace outside of National Ballroom 3
2.00 - 2.50 Panel session: Inclusion
Taryn Marks, CEO, Career Trackers
Heather Spaccavento, Manager Digital Inclusion Strategy & Policy, The Smith Family
Dale Murray, Executive Director Education, Life Without Barriers
Chair - Professor Grace Sarra, Chief Investigator, Digital Child
Ten minute break at session close
3.00 - 4.00
Roundtable discussions on inclusion theme with attendees, led by Digital Child researchers at each table
Afternoon tea will be available during the session.
4.00 - 7.00 Break
7.00 - 9.30 Networking dinner
National Ballroom 3
Day Two Friday, 14 June 2024
Time Details
8.45 - 9.00 Arrival
National Ballroom 3
9.00 - 9.30 Summary of Day One
Professor Simon Smith, Chief Investigator, Digital Child
9.30 - 10.30 Panel session: Health & Wellbeing
Jackie Hallan, Interim CEO, Reach Out
Dr Imogen Bell, Senior Research Fellow and Psychologist, Orygen Digital
Dr Bridianne O’Dea, Digital Cross Cutting Theme Lead, Black Dog Institute
Chair - Professor Daniel Johnson, Chief Investigator, Digital Child
10.30 - 11.15 Morning tea Terrace outside of National Ballroom 3
11.15 - 12.00 Roundtable discussions on health & wellbeing theme with attendees, led by Digital Child researchers at each table
Digital Childhoods Summit
Time Details
12.00 - 1.00
Panel session: Futures
Elliot Pace, Youth Ambassador, eSafety Commission
Jorja Sigtenhorst, Youth Ambassador, UNICEF Australia
Annabel Astbury, Head of Education, ABC
Chair - Professor Louise Paatsch, Chief Investigator, Digital Child
1.00 - 2.00 Lunch
Terrace outside of National Ballroom 3
2.00 - 2.50
Roundtable discussion summaries Digital Child researcher from each table
Concluding remarks and next steps
Professor Simon Smith, Chief Investigator, Digital Child
3.00 - 4.00 Afternoon tea
Terrace outside of National Ballroom 3
Spotlight: Research fellows
Early career researchers are important members of the Digital Child team. Below are examples of projects and outputs they are working on. Find the researchers named below during the Summit for more details.
Generative AI and the visual data of Australian childhood: An analysis of Australian families and childhood through the lens of generative AI. Want to find out more? Speak with Dr Suzanne Srdarov.
Digital technology during child bedtime routines: This study set out to examine patterns and attitudes toward sleep and digital technology. Want to find out more? Speak with Dr Janelle MacKenzie.
Digital Citizenship: Adapting Digital Citizenship Curriculum by Common Sense Media for use in Australian primary schools and early education settings. Want to find out more? Speak with Dr Kristy Corser.
Digtal Child Ethics toolkit: This toolkit outlines ethical considerations across three main dimensions of research: contexts, methods, and cohorts. Want to find out more? Speak with Dr Chris Zomer.
Childhood Builders: A report on operationalising resilience frames and tools to improve child, youth, family, and community wellbeing. Want to find out more? Speak with Dr Shannon Edmed.
Do you have questions for the Digital Child? You can get in touch by emailing info@digitalchild.org.au.
