A Forum for Collaboration, Innovation, and Action
Hosted by the Children’s Policy Advisory Council (CPAC)
Join us for a full-day forum bringing together leaders, practitioners, researchers, and community voices to explore the future of childhood and parenting services in Western Australia.
This forum will spotlight:
- The latest AEDC data on early childhood outcomes in WA
- Integrated early childhood service models
- Community-led and culturally responsive approaches
- Foundational services and inclusion support
- Using the Child Development Atlas data-informed planning and evaluation
- The voice of children and families in service design
Interactive panel sessions will provide plenty of opportunity for your input to help set the agenda to progress child wellbeing policy and priorities.This is your opportunity to contribute to a shared vision for child wellbeing in WA that is collaborative, place-based, and grounded in lived experience and evidence.
Speakers:
Dr Kate Sollis
Consultant Policy Advisor, Centre for Policy Development
Research Fellow, University of Tasmania
Dr Kate Sollis is a passionate advocate for engaging deeply with community members when developing wellbeing policy and measurement frameworks. She is an interdisciplinary researcher with a background in wellbeing frameworks and measurement, child wellbeing, public policy, and community engagement. She is currently a consultant policy advisor to the Wellbeing Government team at the Centre for Policy Development, a Research Fellow at the University of Tasmania, and President of the Bega Valley Data Collective.
Gail Clark
State Coordinator Australian Early Development Census (AEDC)
Gail Clark is the State Coordinator for the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), a national initiative that provides a comprehensive snapshot of early childhood development across Australia. In this role, she leads the strategic delivery of the AEDC in Western Australia, working in partnership with national and state representatives and engaging a broad range of stakeholders—including government, education, community, and research sectors. Her work promotes the meaningful use of AEDC data to inform policy and practice, and to guide initiatives that support children’s developmental outcomes. She acknowledges and values the collective contributions of all those who have played a role in the ongoing success of the AEDC in WA.
Rebecca Hershman
Family and Community Engagement Partner, Goodstart Early Learning
Rebecca Hershman brings over 20 years of experience working with children and families across diverse settings, from remote communities and justice facilities to early education centres and schools. Her work spans early childhood education and parenting support, grounded in evidence-based research and practice. Rebecca is deeply committed to the transformative power of early education and its ability to positively shape the trajectory of children’s lives.
Gemma Upson
General Manager of Inklings, The Kids Research Institute Australia
Gemma Upson is the General Manager of Inklings at The Kids Research Institute Australia. With over 20 years of experience across health and human services—including early childhood intervention, disability, autism, hearing, and cochlear implants—Gemma brings deep expertise and a heartfelt commitment to improving lives. Her passion for research-driven innovation and translating evidence into practice led to the creation of CliniKids, the first integrated clinical service-research team at The Kids, supporting children with autism and developmental delay.
Outside of work, Gemma finds joy in spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors—experiences that keep her grounded and fuel her drive to make a positive impact in the community.
Melissa Boekhoorn
Executive General Manager, Ability WA
Melissa is an experienced leader across health and disability sectors, with a clinical background in Speech Pathology. She has a passion for quality Early Childhood Intervention and the provision of complex supports across the lifespan. Melissa creates positive team culture with an enthusiastic, strengths-based approach. This approach promotes multidisciplinary team engagement, driving service excellence and better outcomes for people with disabilities.
Dr Sarah Priest
Research and Advocacy Lead, Parkerville
Dr Sarah Priest is the Research and Advocacy Lead at Parkerville Children and Youth Care. Sarah brings over a decade of experience working across Australia, the UK, and Europe in social policy research and evaluation, policy development, and cross-sector collaboration, with a focus on child wellbeing, all forms of violence and exploitation against children and women, and systems reform.
Marketa Reeves
Program Manager, Australian Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas
Marketa Reeves grew up and completed her schooling in Germany. She completed a Masters degree at the University of Mannheim in 2003 following a one-year scholarship at the Australian Catholic University in Sydney. Before joining UWA in 2022 as a project manager, Marketa spent 15 years in the WA government sector in various policy and research roles with a strong focus on child and youth wellbeing.
Prue Ward
Manager, Service Development Unit, Parenting Connection WA
Prue Ward has been supporting parents and carers through education and community-based services since 2000, working across both metropolitan Perth and the Upper Great Southern region. Her career spans government and not-for-profit sectors, where she has consistently championed the wellbeing of families and young children.
Prue has held key roles including Home Visitor for vulnerable new parents, Senior Practice Development Officer for the Best Beginnings program, and since 2017, as the Manager of the Service Development Unit at Parenting Connection WA. Her work is grounded in strong clinical and community foundations, with qualifications in Psychology, Counselling, and Infant Mental Health.
In addition to her professional roles, Prue has volunteered as a Breastfeeding Counsellor for over 30 years, reflecting her deep commitment to nurturing parent-child relationships. She believes that all parents and carers strive to be the best they can be, and that they thrive when supported by collaborative, community-informed services.
Dave Palmer
WA Child Abuse Squad, Western Australian Police
With 29 years of dedicated service to the Western Australia Police Force, Detective Acting Superintendent David Palmer currently leads the Sex Crime Division. He brings a wealth of frontline and investigative experience to his role, driving innovation in the response to victim-based crimes.
David is committed to strengthening both local and international partnerships to equip his team with the tools, training, and support necessary to investigate sexual offences and protect vulnerable members of the community.
Kate Pitt
General Manager Therapeutic Services, Parkerville
Kate Pitt joined Parkerville in 2025 as the General Manager Therapeutic Services. In this role, Kate leads our Multi-agency Investigative Support Team (MIST), a collaborative partnership with WA Police that provides critical support to children and their families who have experienced sexual abuse. These essential services are located in Armadale, Midland, and Rockingham. Additionally, Kate oversees the Child Sexual Abuse Therapy Service (CSATS) in the Wheatbelt and the Parent and Children Therapeutic Services (PACTS) in Mirrabooka, which offer individual counseling to children, young people, and adults affected by child sexual abuse. All services are delivered by highly skilled allied health professionals with extensive experience in working with individuals impacted by abuse and trauma.
With over 20 years of experience in community services for children, young people, and families, Kate has worked across both for-purpose and government sectors. She holds tertiary qualifications in Social Science, Family and Couples Counselling, and Business Administration (specialising in Social Impact). Kate is deeply committed to improving systems that impact children and families and is dedicated to making a positive difference in their lives.
Larissa Muir
CEO, 12 Buckets
Larissa is the CEO of 12 Buckets, where they believe strong communities are built when young people are seen, heard and supported to unearth their spark. As a late-diagnosed autistic leader and parent to 3 neurodivergent children, she brings her lived experience to breaking cycles of disadvantage through innovative mentoring programs across Perth’s educationally disadvantaged communities.
Jacqueline McGowan Jones
Commissioner for Children and Young People
Jacqueline McGowan-Jones is an Arrernte-Warumungu woman with an extensive background in education, child protection, Indigenous affairs, and suicide postvention. Her experience includes senior executive roles across state and federal governments, and the non-government sector.
As Commissioner, Jacqueline has a statutory responsibility to monitor, protect and advocate for the rights and wellbeing of all Western Australian children and young people. She firmly believes that all young people have a right to be heard, and actively works to foster a heightened level of understanding and engagement in matters that affect our children and young people.
Megan Enders
Executive Convener, WA Children’s Funders Alliance
Megan Enders is Executive Convenor of the WA Children’s Funders Alliance, which is a collective of 8 funders that support children and families in WA, amongst other areas. She is also a voluntary co-Chair of the Education Funders’ Network, a chapter group of Philanthropy Australia, as well as running her own advisory practice to support more impactful giving by funders.
Her interest in this work comes from working with for-purpose organisations in community services and aged care as well as with education philanthropy Fogarty Foundation, where she held several roles. She has also led teams in the ‘for profit’ sector and worked as a management consultant. Megan started her career as an advisor in the Prime Minister’s Department and then worked for a Federal Minister.
Andrew Rayner
Executive Director, Early Childhood, Office of Early Childhood at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Andrew is a public policy professional with deep experience in leading system thinking and delivering system change. Andrew’s recent roles have included Strategic Adviser, Early Childhood in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet WA, and Chief Policy Officer at the Department of Education WA. Prior to 2020, Andrew led major system changes through the Tasmanian Department of the Premier and Cabinet including the State’s transition to full scheme NDIS, working with the ECEC sector to introduce the Working Together early education initiative and laying the groundwork for transitioning the Tasmanian Department of Education to the Department for Education, Children and Young People.