Alliance reveals line-up for online Annual Conference
By Rachel Lawler
The Alliance has revealed the line up for its . Titled Small Steps, Big Changes: building an ambitious vision for the early years, the event will take place from 6pm-8.45pm on Thursday 9 June 2022, and will examine how the early year sector can build a positive, ambitious and collective vision for the early years and childhood across the country.
The conference will also explore what steps the sector can take to ensure we can play our part in nurturing a generation of citizens with a strong sense of moral purpose, environmental awareness and social responsibility. It will also assess what we can do as adults to create a safer and more sustainable planet for the next generation.
In line with an increased focus on environmental sustainability at this year鈥檚 conference, and to minimise the cost impact for attendees at what remains a difficult time for many providers, the event will once again take place on Zoom.
The event's keynote speakers are:
The Alliance鈥檚 chief executive Neil Leitch will also address attendees, speaking on the need to build a positive long-term vision for early education in England.
The event will explore what steps the sector can take to ensure we can play our part in nurturing a generation of citizens with a strong sense of moral purpose, environmental awareness and social responsibility. It will also assess what we can do as adults to create a safer and more sustainable planet for the next generation.
This year also marks the return of the highly-coveted Belle Tutaev Lifetime Achievement Award, with the winner to be announced during the evening. The award recognises a unique individual who has devoted themselves, over the years, to making a real difference to young children鈥檚 care and learning.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to attend one of three practical seminars: Time to thrive: a fresh approach to staff wellbeing, hosted by founder and director of the Early Years Collective training and consultancy, Kim Esnard; Prioritising children鈥檚 mental health and wellbeing, led by teacher and Birth to 5 Matters project coordinator Donna Gaywood; and Supporting early language development, hosted by speech and language therapist and university lecturer Ben Bolton Grant.
Commenting, Alliance chief executive, Neil Leitch, said: 鈥淚 am delighted to announce such an inspiring line up for this year鈥檚 conference. As we transition to the new post-Covid normal, there is no better time to reflect and celebrate the role that early years providers play in nurturing the next generation, which includes key issues such as environmental awareness and social responsibility.
鈥淎s we come out of the pandemic, it is becoming increasingly important for the sector to build a positive vision for early years more widely, and I really look forward to hearing from our speakers on how we can look at inspiring international models to help achieve this.鈥