We warmly invite you to attend the RANZCP Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 2023 conference, to be held in Noosa from 20-23 August. 

Child psychiatry has traversed choppy waters in recent years in response to novel social, cultural, and health challenges globally. We have had to quickly adapt and find innovative, creative new ways to work with young people and their families. We have been met with what seems like a tsunami of young people with mental health difficulties and crises, leading us to analyse how our health systems are set up to best meet the needs of children, and how we can protect ourselves as a profession from overwhelm and burnout.

Throughout all of this, we have done our best to meet the challenges presented, and the landscape of child psychiatry has certainly changed. It remains uncertain how far reaching the effects of recent years will be on our young people. What is certain is how the unique difficulties encountered have led to an increased interest in and diversity of research, developing and refining clinical approaches, and improving institutional systems to better meet care needs.

We have done this while maintaining the capacity to quietly, reflectively, sit with young people and their families as they ride the waves of their lives and experiences, to join and guide them on this journey, and to use our best evidence and expertise to optimise mental health outcomes.

Our 2023 conference features a broad range of excellent speakers from across the diverse spectrum of child and adolescent psychiatry. It is an excellent opportunity to meet with friends old and new, learn from the latest evidence, and cordially debate ideas. As we leave behind the storm of the last few years, we are able to think together about the unique role our profession has in improving the lives of Australian and New Zealander children, families, and communities in the future.

Best of all, we get to come together to explore all of this within the bright sunshine, calm waters, and cool forest hinterlands of Noosa. We look forward to seeing you there!