Caroline is CEO of the Front Project, a philanthropically-funded social enterprise working to redress disadvantage through improving our early childhood system. She is a former senior public servant with experience across a range of areas, including early childhood education, disability in education, corporate services, climate change, energy, environment, and social policy. Her most recent public service role involved supporting Royal Commissioner the Hon Julia Gillard in her work on early childhood education and care. Caroline holds a PhD in Politics and International Relations and an MA, both from Lancaster University; a Graduate Certificate in Applied Economics from the University of Adelaide; and a Bachelor of Arts from the ANU. She is co-host of The Westminster Tradition, a top-ranking podcast unpacking lessons for the public service, starting with the Robodebt Royal Commission.

Professor Sarah Blunden (MAPS, BAPsych (Hons), MSocSc, MClinPsy, PhD) has a dual role as Head of Paediatric Sleep Research and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Central Queensland University, Australia and is a clinical psychologist specialising in the treatment of children’s sleep problems and related mental health issues. Sarah is the Founder/Director of the Paediatric Sleep and Psychology Clinic, Director of SensibleSleep and Sleep Education Centre in Australia. She is a member of the Education Committee, Behavioural Sleep Medicine subcommittee and chair of the Indigenous Sleep Health Special Interest group, all of the Australasian Sleep Association and on the board of the International Pediatric Sleep Association. Sarah’s research interests include sleep education, Indigenous sleep and health, sleep interventions for young children and the psychosocial and psychological impact of poor sleep. She is an expert sleep consultant for the Australian Psychological Society and is often featured as an expert on ABC radio. Sarah has presented over 100 conference presentations and published over 120 academic papers and books including The Sensible Sleep Solution for infants and the Boss of My Sleep Book for Toddlers. Her responsive sleep therapies are published and utilised worldwide and she has developed a Practice Certificate in this method for psychologists interested in sleep therapy for children.

Dale is a proud Kaurna, Narungga, Ngadjuri and Ngarrindjeri man who carries deep respect for the cultural knowledge, stories, and resilience of his people. With strong ties across four language groups, Dale has dedicated his career to creating lasting change for Aboriginal communities in South Australia. Over the past 18 years, he has worked across Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Correctional Services, the Office for the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, and as a Ministerial Advisor and Manager of Metropolitan Aboriginal Youth and Family Services. He now serves as the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, a role that places him at the forefront of advocating for the rights, safety, and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people across the state. He envisions a future where Aboriginal children grow up strong in culture, surrounded by opportunity, and where systems are shaped with, not just for, community.

Sally is a distinguished researcher at the University of South Australia dedicated to enhancing the healthy development and early learning of young children, particularly in underserved communities. Her extensive research spans regions across Australia, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, and the Emirates. Sally collaborates closely with international governments and prominent donor organizations, including the World Bank, UNICEF, and UNESCO. Sally's expertise encompasses population monitoring, enabling her to uncover and address disparities in child outcomes. She employs pragmatic randomized control trials to rigorously assess the impact and cost-effectiveness of interventions. Her research has made a substantial impact on both global and local levels, across the fields of early education, community development, and development economics, benefiting children around the world. Serving as a trusted advisor to governments and actively participating in numerous Expert Advisory Groups, Sally plays a pivotal role in shaping policies and practices. Her academic body of work includes over 200 publications, with contributions to esteemed journals such as The Lancet. Sally's research consistently translates into real-world solutions, earning her widespread recognition and acclaim in academic and policy circles, both nationally and internationally.

Michelle is a lecturer in law at the University of South Australia and is an expert in children’s rights and family law. Michelle’s research focusses on the voices of children following parental separation, including in cases involving international child abduction. She is a former director of Anglicare SA and Anglicare Tasmania. Michelle is passionate about children’s rights and welfare, and about giving children a genuine say in decisions that affect them.

Kylie has worked in strategic reform across government, non-profits, and community organisations in education, training and skills, human and community services. She has a proven track record of leading significant policy initiatives, designing innovative programs and frameworks, and engaging with lived and learned experience to meet changing community needs. Kylie has served on multiple boards in the social services sector and is currently a Governor of the Wyatt Trust, with a focus on grant making that creates meaningful and sustainable impact for South Australians experiencing poverty. Kylie is driven by a steadfast commitment to improving the lives of the most vulnerable people in our community. As the Commissioner for Children and Young People, she is excited to focus on empowering children and young people to be active contributors to positive change and co-creators of solutions, as well as driving collaborative approaches across government, the education and human services sectors, universities, philanthropy and communities to create the best conditions for children and young people to thrive. She is determined that the wellbeing of children and young people is seen by decision-makers as the ultimate measure of the health of our society.

Gerry is a Professor in public policy at the College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University, where he has worked since 2012. Prior to that he worked at University of NSW, UNICEF and the University of Cambridge, UK. His academic training is in sociological and social policy research and involves both qualitative and quantitative analysis of children’s and young people’s well-being in Australia and in other countries. His research aims to privilege the perspectives of marginalised young people, how they negotiate challenges in their lives, and how these challenges impact their wellbeing, development and life chances. He has a strong interest in research engagement with policymakers and advocacy groups, and in knowledge translation of academic research. He has been Chief Investigator on six Australian Research Council research projects and is currently leading a project on the opportunities that young people with disability and young carers can access, and the contributions they make to Australian society. His aim in both these projects is to draw attention to the wide range of economic and societal factors that influence young people’s life chances in Australia and in other countries.

Cat is a healthcare leader with extensive experience in project, leadership, quality and safety, and clinical roles. She has recently returned from Queensland where she worked for Clinical Excellence Queensland’s Healthcare Improvement Unit, representing the Statewide Child Health and Child Development Networks. In this role, Cat developed the Queensland Health, Child Development Clinical Capabilities Framework, which underpins a consistent, evidence based and contemporary approach to providing care for children, adolescents and their families. With a background in Paediatric Physiotherapy and Allied Health Leadership, Cat has worked extensively across public and community healthcare and disability settings. Cat is energised by driving system change to improve experience and outcomes for infants, children, adolescents and their families.