Child Agency: Increasing the impact of work with children and families to support long- term outcomes

Please note time zone for the event commencement time.

Child agency, or a child's capacity to make informed choices and take meaningful action, is a critical aspect of a child's development and well-being. For early intervention practitioners working with children and families, understanding and supporting child agency is essential for promoting positive outcomes, and also aligns with neurodiversity affirming practices and supports child safety.

This webinar will explore the importance of child agency, its benefits for children and families, and practical strategies for early intervention practitioners to foster it within their work. Supporting shifts in professional practice is a vital part of ensuring child agency is an intentional part of work with children and families. Learnings from the approach used by Noah’s Ark to effectively embed practices will be shared. Key principles underlying child agency and its development will be explored, along with implementation drivers that support successful utilisation of child agency practices within the context of each child’s unique family culture and experience.

Speakers

Kylie Matusewicz (Practice Coach / Psychologist)

Kylie Matusewicz is a psychologist from Noah's Ark Inc., with over 25 years of experience and a deep commitment to empowering children and families. Advocating strongly for child agency, she recognises that children, regardless of age or communication styles, have the right and capacity to make meaningful choices.

Currently serving as a Practice Coach, Kylie collaborates with fellow practitioners to enhance the quality of service provision. She holds a Master of Psychology (Clinical) from the University of Newcastle and a Post Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Sciences (Parent and Infant Mental Health) from the University of Melbourne.

Stephen Carberry (Learning and Development Coordinator)

Stephen brings 20 years of experience as a Speech Pathologist, working across diverse roles including as a Key Worker, Team Leader, Practice Coach and Training Facilitator. He has consistently demonstrated his enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge with children, families, educators, and therapists.

Since joining Noah’s Ark in 2011, Stephen has championed delivering quality services to children with disabilities and their families. He emphasises the importance of using authentic assessment, collaborative goal setting, and routines-based approaches. In 2014, Stephen became one of Australia's first RBI Certified Trainers after attending the Routines-Based Interview (RBI) Certification Institute with Dr Robin McWilliam. He has a strong track record of leading effective teams and supporting professionals to implement practices that promote high-quality outcomes for children and families, promoting their inclusion and participation in meaningful life activities.