From the Commissioner

Welcome to the 2012 Thinker in Residence.

I established the Thinker in Residence initiative in 2011 with the intention to invite an internationally renowned expert to Western Australia each year for a short residency to focus on an important public policy issue that affects the wellbeing of children and young people.

The Thinker brings considerable experience and insight and works with organisations and individuals across sectors to offer a new perspective on the issue, challenge how we tackle it and inspire lasting change.

The 2012 Thinker in Residence will examine the importance of self-regulation in children, with a particular focus on strategies that can be used to develop and enhance self-regulation.

I am very pleased to be able to bring to Perth one of Canada’s foremost child development specialists, Dr Stuart Shanker, to explore this issue with key stakeholders including parents, health and other professionals, early childhood educators and teachers.

I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution from the organisations and agencies who have partnered with me to develop the Residency program and assist in bringing Dr Shanker to Perth.

Michelle Scott
Commissioner for Children and Young People