This year National Child Protection Week (7-13 September) will continue to champion the overarching message: Every child in every community needs a fair go. To build on last year’s focus, the theme is Every conversation matters: Shifting Conversation to Action. This forum is focusing on sport and recreation and the importance of this activity in children and families lives, especially those that are vulnerable and from diverse or underprivileged communities.

OUR SPEAKERS

Hon Katrine Hildyard MP, Minister for Child Protection

Opening remarks

Hon Katrine Hildyard is the Minister for Child Protection and Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. She is determined to work across government and community to help ensure that everyone is empowered to play their part in improving the lives of children and families. She previously served as Minister for Disabilities, Minister Assisting the Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Assistant Minister to the Premier in the Weatherill Labor Government and established the South Australian Women in Sport Taskforce.

Catherine Simpson, PhD Candidate, University of South Australia

Levelling the playing field: understanding sport access for culturally diverse children

Children’s participation in sport yields profound health, wellbeing, and cognitive benefits, yet sports participation remains out of reach for many families. This talk will explore the barriers and enablers for sport access for children living in a culturally diverse, South Australian neighbourhood.

Catherine’s PhD focusses on meaningful engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse communities to make sport, organised physical activity and the Sports Voucher Plus more accessible. She’s interested in collaborative, industry partnered research that can make a real-world impact. Prior to commencing her research degrees, Catherine worked as a paediatric physiotherapist for over a decade.

Laura Kelly, Director Residential Care, Department for Child Protection

Youth Adventure Recreational Service (YARS) programs

Laura oversees residential care services and programs for over 300 children and young people across South Australia who are unable to live with family. The service employs over 750 staff in direct care, clinical and administrative roles to support some the State’s most vulnerable children, often with complex support needs and extensive trauma-histories. Laura started her career in child protection as a youth worker in residential care settings and has since worked in various leadership roles in child protection, social housing, homelessness and emergency/disaster relief. She is committed to supporting children and young people to thrive and achieve their best – she is committed to amplifying the voices of children and young people in care and ensuring our practice and strategic direction is guided by those with and lived and living experience in out-of-home care.

Tim Brenton, Chief Executive Officer, Basketball SA

The Department for Child Protection and Basketball SA partnership

Tim Brenton is a former professional basketball player during the 1990s with the Adelaide 36ers and Hobart Devils. After his playing career, he spent nine years working with the South Australian Government in the Child Protection Residential Care sector, where he developed a deep commitment to supporting vulnerable young people. In 2008, Tim co-founded Connected Self, a company delivering psychology, mentoring, and school-based wellbeing programs, with a focus on the internationally recognised Rock & Water Program. He later co-founded the Aboriginal Basketball Academy in 2017, combining sport and education to support Aboriginal secondary school students. After a decade leading Connected Self, Tim established an independent consultancy company specialising in education and sport. In 2020, he became General Manager of the Adelaide Lightning, and in 2022 was appointed CEO of Basketball South Australia.

Tom Worthington, Policy Officer, Sector Capability and Michelle Crisp, Manager of Industry Insights, Office for Recreation Sport and Racing (ORSR), Government of South Australia

Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing: Active Kids and Youth

All children and young people in care have the right to engage in sport and recreation and lead healthy, active lives. A key strategic pillar of the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) is to increase children’s and youth participation through accessible, inclusive and enjoyable programs. This presentation will provide a summary of the work currently being done by ORSR that is focused on creating opportunities for all children to become engaged in sport and recreation.

Tom Worthington has a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science and worked in the fitness industry for over 10 years before joining the ORSR in 2023. Since then, he has been involved with a range of projects that have focused on improving participation in sport and recreation, with a particular focus on children and young people. In 2024, he became ORSR’s project lead for the Joint Plan of Action between ORSR and the Department for Child Protection, leveraging the Office’s expertise and network base within the sector to support initiatives that provide opportunities to children and young people in care to engage in physical activity.

Michelle Crisp has a background in research and program evaluation, Michelle translates insights into practical strategies that help shape policy and guide investment. Passionate about ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience the benefits of sport and active recreation, Michelle’s work focuses on identifying barriers to participation and finding solutions that increase access and inclusion. Because delivered well, sport can build confidence, belonging, and brighter futures for young people.

OUR CHAIR

Professor Carol Maher (HDA Co-Convenor), Professor of Population and Digital Health, Medical Research Future Fund Investigator / Director of the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), University of South Australia

Carol Maher’s research focuses on how children's and adults' daily activity patterns (e.g. physical activity, sleep and sedentary behaviours) impact their health. In particular, Carol is interested in how technologies such as wearables, online social networking, mobile phone apps and gamification can be used to improve lifestyle in a fun engaging way, and how these interventions can be delivered at scale to positively impact Australia's health. Carol has received over $4.5 million in research funding, has published 140 journal articles, and is Section Editor for BMC Public Health.

Other event information:

Networking and light refreshments will follow the session from 7.20pm.

This is a public forum and also open to the community, everyone is welcome to attend.