Where Frameworks Meet Practice: ACA Victoria 2026 Summit

On Friday 9 October, a full house of ECEC leaders gathered at Westpac on Collins in Melbourne for Where Frameworks Meet Practice, ACA Victoria’s ECEC Leaders Summit. Centre Directors, Educational Leaders, approved providers and emerging leaders came together with one shared aim: to move the updated VEYLDF off the page and into everyday practice.

The Theme: Where frameworks meet practice

The name of the summit said it all. Every ECEC leader works with frameworks, but the real work happens in the daily decisions that turn those frameworks into quality experiences for children. The day was built around that connection, bringing together the voices that shape the VEYLDF, regulate it and put it into practice, so leaders could see the whole picture in one room.

The whole picture

The day opened with a welcome from ACA Victoria President Tonii Tran, before host Catharine Hydon set the scene with the Framework. Catharine’s experience in drawing theory and practice together shaped the tone for the day, and the discussion and collaboration sessions that followed gave leaders time to reflect and exchange ideas with their peers.

After morning tea, Sarah O’Kelly and Jodie Douglas from the Department of Education explored the expectations and opportunities of the VEYLDF, giving leaders a clearer view of what the updated Framework asks of services and where it opens new possibilities for practice.

The afternoon turned to the Framework as a compliance and quality tool. Karen Morley from the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) gave leaders a practical look at how the VEYLDF sits within the regulatory landscape. Sofie Diamantopoulos, Educational Leader at Essex Heights Juniors ELC, then brought the conversation into the service itself, sharing what the Framework looks like in practice. Catharine drew the threads together in the final session, and every attendee left with their own copy of the new VEYLDF to take back to their teams.

With every seat filled, the room carried a real energy, the kind that comes from leaders who are keen to learn from one another as much as from the speakers on stage.

What attendees said

The response from the room was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees praised everything from the layout and setup to the speakers, with one leader saying they loved “the overall engagement with the speakers and fellow attendees.” Catharine’s delivery was a standout, with another attendee enjoying “the passionate way Catharine shared knowledge” and finding the takeaways “very useful,” adding they were “looking forward to sharing and implementing what I learned back at service.” And for many, hearing directly from the people behind the Framework was the highlight: “We don’t always get to hear directly from VECRA and the Department, found it very insightful.”

Thank you

Our thanks go first to Catharine Hydon, who led the day with warmth, insight and generosity. We are also grateful to Sarah O’Kelly, Jodie Douglas, Karen Morley and Sofie Diamantopoulos for sharing their time and expertise, and to Childcare Super for supporting the summit.

Finally, thank you to every leader who joined us. Giving up a day to step back, reflect and learn alongside your peers is no small thing, and it’s what makes events like this worthwhile. We look forward to seeing you at the next one.

Check out our upcoming events here.