'Screen time anxieties: Changing the conversation around kids and tech'

For a long time, parenting advice around children and technology focused on policing screen time. Fortunately, this is beginning to change and some guidelines now acknowledge that a ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t allow for the complexity and diversity of family life.

Yet this change seems to have had little impact on public discussion around children and technology, which is often still overwrought with screen time anxieties, idealistic expectations, and rigid rules. Parents and carers must navigate an emotionally charged landscape of conflicting advice and information that’s often presented as having incredibly high stakes for their child’s wellbeing.

Hosted by the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child in partnership with ACMI, this public seminar aims to consider the position of parents amid these discussions. It will bring together a panel of experts - Dr Billy Garvey, Derek McCormack and Fiona Holder - and advocates to hear their insights, asking - what is the nature of current ‘screen time’ discussion and advice? How does this advice connect to parents’ actual concerns and perspectives? What makes for good parenting advice? And how can our parents and carers be supported in ways that don’t exacerbate pressures and anxieties?

Note: this event is in person and also online. If you select online attendance, you will be sent the webinar link closer to the event date.

Please join us immediately after the seminar for canapes and drinks, and the opportunity to chat to our panellists.

OUR PANELLISTS

DR BILLY GARVEY

Guiding Growing Minds (GGM) founder Dr Billy Garvey is a dad, podcaster, author and a developmental paediatrician with over 20 years’ experience working with children and families in a number of settings. He is passionate about helping those who care for kids – parents, educators, sports coaches, clinicians, family support workers – by advancing their ability to guide healthy child development and mental health.

DANIEL DONAHOO

Daniel Donahoo is the Digital Innovation Manager at PROJECT ROCKIT where he oversees the development of resources and services for students, teachers and parents. Daniel works at the intersection of play, technology and learning and has designed alternate reality games, worked with top educational app designers and supported education and learning teams at LEGO, Disney and Apple. He is a father of four boys and the author of two books on parenting, Idolising Children and Adproofing Your Kids. In his spare time Daniel can be found growing fruit and vegetables, or rolling a d20 hoping for a critical hit.

FIONA HOLDER

Fiona Holder is a passionate early years facilitator and disability advocate. Fiona is the Programs Coordinator at Playgroup Victoria and has been facilitating PlayConnect+ Playgroups for children with additional needs for the past five years. Fiona has three autistic children with various other diagnosis and draws on her lived experience to support children with disabilities, developmental delays and chronic illness, together with their families. When Fiona is not working, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and supporting her children's interests.

EVENT CONVENER: DR KATE MANNELL

Dr Kate Mannell is a Research Fellow at Deakin University in the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child. Her research focuses on the design, governance, and use of digital technologies, with a particular focus on their role in the lives of families and young people. Her current projects include an examination of public discourse around children's screen time, an analysis of the platformisation of family life, and a project developed in partnership with the Indigenous community organisation, Gunya Meta.

*Please note that unfortunately one of our original panellists, Derek McCormack, is unable to attend. We apologise for this change of plans but look forward to a fantastic panel.