Australian Play Summit - Melbourne

Join us for a groundbreaking Australian Summit addressing one of childhood's most fundamental yet overlooked rights: the right to play.

Drawing on Dr. Naomi Lott's internationally recognized framework for implementing the child's right to play—encompassing Space, Time, Acceptance, and Rights-Informed approaches —this summit will explore how Australia can move from principle to practice in securing play opportunities for all children.

Research has demonstrated the critical importance of play for children's basic developmental and health needs as well as its intrinsic value as a critical element of childhood, centred on notions of human dignity . Yet states continue to struggle with implementation.

Our discussions will be enriched by insights from Robyn Monro Miller's 2025 Churchill Fellowship research examining international approaches to national and local play strategies across 8 countries, identifying critical success factors, barriers, and outcomes achieved for communities.

The event will feature presentations by UNCRC Expert, Dr Naomi Lott and Play Australia CEO Robyn Monro Miller AM, as well as a practical component for all event delegates to contribute and participate to this important  first stage in a national campaign to protect, promote and provide play for all children living in Australia. This is the first of three ina series of  Play Summits that Play Australia will be hosting in 2026 to drive a national Plan4Play. Each summit will build on the learnings and work of the next.

Together, in 2026, we will chart a path forward for developing a comprehensive national agenda for play in Australia—one that recognizes children's right to play not as a luxury, but as essential to their health, wellbeing, and development.

THIS PROJECT IS AN INITIATIVE OF PLAY AUSTRALIA.

WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF DELEGATE REGISTRATION FEES IN FUNDING THIS INITIATIVE.