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WELLBEING MATTERS AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCES 2025

BRISBANE BCEC (Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre)
- Main Days: Oct 20th & 21st plus Post-conference Oct 22nd 
 
SYDNEY - Central Sydney - Main Days: Oct 27th & 28th plus Post-conference Oct 29th 
 
FREMANTLE Rydges Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, WA -  Pre-conference Nov 5th plus Main Days: Nov 6th & 7th

CLICK ON EACH PRESENTER IMAGE FOR INFORMATION; CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
A/Professor Judith Howard

"Trauma-Aware Education is providing a refreshed and informed way of supporting and educating young learners with lived experience of complex childhood trauma - who deserve our best efforts. " A/Professor Judith Howard

Justin Roberts, National Program Director of ReLATE, The MacKillop Institute - Trauma-Informed Classroom Support

"Effective trauma-informed practice is helpful for all students, and all classrooms" Justin Roberts

Dr Helen Street - Positive Schools Founder & Chair, Graduate School of Education, The University of Western Australia. - Taking a Tailored Approach to Systemic Wellbeing Development

"Simply put, when it comes to supporting wellbeing in our classrooms and schools, we need to know ourselves, to grow ourselves" Dr Helen Street

Meg Durham, Teacher Wellbeing Specialist, Host of The School of Wellbeing Podcast -Schools are high-pressure environments, and educators often add to their own stress without realising it. The pursuit of perfection, the weight of expectations, and the relentless pace of school life can leave teachers and leaders feeling stretched too thin. But what if some of that pressure could be released? This presentation explores five common patterns that keep educators teetering on the edge of overwhelm and offers practical strategies to lighten the load. By making small tweaks to their approach, educators can create more space for what truly matters: connection. School life is messy and magical, and embracing both sides allows individuals to move forward with more energy, clarity, and confidence. This session provides an opportunity to pause and reflect, helping educators to continue making a positive impact without burning out. It’s time to release the pressure and rediscover the magic of school life.

“The pursuit of perfection, the weight of expectations, and the relentless pace of school life can leave teachers and leaders feeling stretched too thin. But what if some of that pressure could be released?” Meg Durham

Dr Louise Mansell - Child and Adolescent Psychologist - This session explores how educators and those working with children and young people can integrate specific therapeutic principles into daily interactions to foster connection, engagement, and emotional regulation. Using the principles of Theraplay, PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy), and trauma-informed approaches, Louise will share practical, easy-to-implement strategies grounded in her knowledge and experience working with children in schools. Educators will leave equipped with an understanding of how to easily build stronger relationships and support students’ emotional well-being through everyday interactions.

"Every child deserves the tools to navigate their emotions and the understanding that they don’t have to manage alone." Dr Louise Mansell

Dr Helen Street Founder and Chair, Positive Schools

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg - Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is a child and adolescent psychologist, best selling author and, has been a Positive Schools ambassador since 2011 -Technology in Schools - Friend or Foe

Is the use of technology in schools supporting or hindering learning engagement and wellbeing in students? - Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

Technology misuses are often the number one non-academic issue confronting schools on any given day. In late 2024, the Australian Government passed legislation prohibiting children under the age of 16 years from accessing ‘social media’ platforms. Whilst the online safety of young people is vitally important, an ill-conceived blanket ban without a definition of what might be banned has created angst and confusion for many including schools. What will your responsibility be in relation to enforcing these new laws and will that even be possible? How will these proposed bans impact your school and its community? Where will your responsibility begin and end? This thought-provoking presentation will unpack the confusion and assist you to understand the current state of the legislation as it relates to schools - Susan McLean Australia’s Foremost Cyber Safety Expert, Founder of CyberSafety Solutions - Social Media in 2025 – Where Does the Responsibility Lie?

“ Cyberbullying or technology misuse is often the number one, non-academic issue that schools have to deal with on a daily basis.” Susan McLean

Richard Pengelley

"These conferences are always full of ideas, inspiration, resources and networking opportunities. I highly recommend them for anyone with an interest in the wellbeing of young people." Richard Pengelley - Positive Schools Host

Ken Wallace, CEO Our Futures Institute

FIRESIDE CHAT Vaping , Young People and addiction. Ken Wallace CEO Our Futures Institute

Associate Professor Emily Stockings, BPsych, PhD

Associate Professor Emily Stockings, BPsych, PhD- Our Futures Institute

Chris Sheehan, Crisis Prevention Institute - This breakout session will examine the intersection of neuroscience and trauma aware practices in shaping a restraint-free, person-centred approach to behaviour. Grounded in CPI’s commitment to eliminating seclusion and reducing restraint, the presentation will highlight key neuroscience principles, including neuroception and the fight, flight and freeze response, brain development, interoception, self-regulation, and co-regulation. It will also explore the role of intentional relationship-building in promoting psychological safety. A key focus will be neuroplasticity—the brain’s capacity for change—demonstrating both the lasting impact of trauma and the potential for recovery through targeted interventions. Special attention will be given to the experiences of neurodiverse individuals, who often face increased stress responses due to navigating environments designed for neurotypical individuals. By synthesising evidence-based research with practical strategies, this session will equip professionals with actionable skills to support individuals in distress whilst promoting safer, more inclusive environments. The discussion will reinforce the importance of trauma-informed practices in reducing crisis situations, improving outcomes and advancing a culture of compassion and safety.

“By synthesising evidence-based research with practical strategies, this session will equip professionals with actionable skills to support individuals in distress” - Chris Sheehan

Professor Dawn Adams Director and Clinical Psychologist, Autism Centre of Excellence, Griffith University -Almost 1,000,000 students enrolled in Australian schools are neurodivergent: that is, their brains process and respond to information differently from neurotypical brains. This includes students with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disability (ID), or learning differences such as dyslexia. Although 80% of neurodivergent students are enrolled in mainstream schools, data shows significant disparities in their educational outcomes and experiences. For many, behaviour may be their loudest voice for telling us about these experiences. In this talk, Dawn will first explore what it means to be neurodivergent and the current understanding of neurodivergent students in schools. Then, she will adopt a neurodiversity-affirming approach to examine factors that may influence behaviours in neurodivergent students. Finally, she will use this research to identify actionable changes to create more inclusive and supportive school environments which reduce the need for the behaviour to occur.

Understanding behaviour in the context of neurodiversity – Prof. Dawn Adams

Positive Schools

"True community change never comes from above—it always rises from within. When students take the lead, school culture transforms, behaviours improve, and teachers and families become part of a stronger, more connected community." Dr Zach Greig

Responding to Anxiety in the Classroom – From Nervousness to Non-attendance – A/Prof Glenn Melvin

Rebecca Wahlsten Positive Partnerships

Rebecca Wahlsten Positive Partnerships

Based in Brisbane, Michael has a background in Education, Mental Health Promotion and Community Development. Working with deaf-blind students in a progressive learning centre in Glasgow, he became aware of autism, sensory profiles and the very real barriers to inclusion. Work in innovative community health projects and the NHS lead to a Masters of Public Health focussing on mental health promotion in schools. Moving to Queensland in 2002, a growing interest in the practical application of neuroscience and inclusion has informed his work with diverse school communities on mental health, wellbeing, inclusion and trauma informed practice. Michael is passionate about inclusive approaches to wellbeing and developing neurodiversity affirming practice.

Michael Hardie, Queensland Team Leader, Positive Partnerships

Smeeta Singh - National Program Director, Power to Kids, The MacKillop Institute

Smeeta Singh - National Program Director, Power to Kids, The MacKillop Institute

Fiona McCallum, General Manager of MacKillop Seasons.

Fiona McCallum, General Manager of MacKillop Seasons.

Dr. Trish Collins, Edith Cowen University

Dr. Trish Collins, Edith Cowen University

Alison Macrae is the Acting NSW/ACT Coordinator for Positive Partnership

Alison Macrae is the Acting NSW/ACT Coordinator for Positive Partnership

Rani Ramjan – As a Project Officer NSW/ACT with Positive Partnerships

Rani Ramjan – As a Project Officer NSW/ACT with Positive Partnerships

Lynda Hunt Positive Partnerships

Lynda Hunt Positive Partnerships

Nathan Butler

Nathan Butler “No one chooses to be unwell, invisible illnesses affect up to 2% of children with pain, fatigue, or dizziness, and much more. This can be devastating for students and families. Learn how to identify these challenges and support students in becoming visible, not only to find themselves but to reach their full potential.”

Raeya Bognar

Raeya Bognar

Megan Corcoran, Trauma-Informed Wellbeing Consultant and Director of The Wagtail Institute - Educator wellbeing is often framed through self-care, but real change happens when schools take a systemic approach to creating psychologically safe and sustainable workplaces. This session explores how trauma-informed principles can enhance staff wellbeing by addressing the structures, culture, and relationships that shape educator experiences. Participants will gain practical strategies for embedding safety, predictability, and relational trust into school environments, reducing stress and burnout. The session will also highlight ways to foster collective wellbeing through leadership, team dynamics, and everyday interactions. By shifting from individual self-care to organisational wellbeing, schools can create environments where both staff and students thrive.

“By shifting from individual self-care to organisational wellbeing, schools can create environments where staff thrive” – Megan Corcoran

“AI invites us to reimagine education - not by replacing what we do, but by deepening how we care, connect, and create with the next generation.”Craig Smith Positive Partnerships

The Positive Schools conferences return to Australia in 2025 with the support of The University of Western Australia and The MacKillop Institute.  
Join more than twenty 'PRESENTERS with INTEGRITY' and be prepared to be ignited, engaged and inspired.  Highlights include:
  • Trauma-aware education with A/Prof Judith Howard along with classroom based trauma-informed approaches with Justin Roberts.
  • Behaviour support for neurodiverse students with Prof Dawn Adams, along with classroom support for autism with Positive Partnerships
  • The best use of technology in classrooms with Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and how to navigate social media safety with Susan McClean.
  • Anxiety and school avoidance with A/Prof Glenn Melvin along with emotional regulation with Dr Louise Mansell
  • Teacher wellbeing with Meg Durham
  • The need to take tailored approaches to wellbeing development with Dr Helen Street, who will also present a full-day pre/post conference workshop supporting classroom dynamics with emphasis on relationships and wellbeing.
     
    And so much more.
     
    'Wellbeing Matters' for our classrooms, our staff rooms and for our whole school communities. 
REGISTER HERE

PRE/POST-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP

Building Resilience, Reducing Stress with Dr Helen Street

Join Helen for an exclusive day full of ideas, strategies, conversation and interaction to help you, and your students navigate the challenges and traumas of life with greater confidence, capacity and calm.

The Resilience Contradiction - Why we avoid living with resilience as much as we try to become resilient in life.
  • Understanding resilience as a process of reparation and change.
  • The art of being emotional, and not falling apart.
  • The good , the bad and the inevitability of stress, and how to manage it well.
Self-awareness, Identity and Capacity - How the strength of our identity drives our ability to navigate risk.
  • The importance of psychological safety for building our confidence and capacity.
  • Finding the balance between healthy risk, and risky behaviours.
  • Nurturing a sense of hope that feels authentic and meaningful
Building a Resilient Classroom - How our ability to live with others drives our ability to live with ourselves.
  • The power of staff: student relationships for supporting resilience in the classroom.
  • Finding the balance in competition, comparison and challenge.
  • Holding strong goals loosely as a pathway to less stress and more success.
REGISTER HERE
EARLY BIRD FINISHES 30th August 2025
SCROLL DOWN TO PAY BY CREDIT CARD OR
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER & PAY ON ACCOUNT

Positive Schools 2025 WELLBEING MATTERS Conference SINGLE DAY

Positive Schools Conference WELLBEING MATTERS-SINGLE DAY Join us for a SINGLE DAY of The Positive Schools 2025 WELLBEING MATTERS Conference

318.20 including 10% gst & 1.5% cc charge-Early Bird
REGISTER & PAY

Positive Schools Conference WELLBEING MATTERS-MAIN DAY'S ONE AND TWO

Positive Schools Conference WELLBEING MATTERS-MAIN DAY'S ONE AND TWO Join us for BOTH MAIN DAYS  of The Positive Schools 2025 WELLBEING MATTERS Conference

614.75 including 10% gst & 1.5% cc charge-Early Bird
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Positive Schools 2025 WELLBEING MATTERS Conference - FULL EVENT

Positive Schools Conference WELLBEING MATTERS-FULL EVENT Join us for ALL THREE DAYS  of The Positive Schools 2025 WELLBEING MATTERS Conference  

837.50 including 10% gst & 1.5% cc charge-Early Bird
REGISTER & PAY
OR CLICK HERE TO REGISTER & PAY ON ACCOUNT