Early Learning Leaders Australia

In this episode, Sebastian Tuttle of Thrive Group shares his journey from science to early childhood leadership and how he and his team delivers quality services in remote Tasmania.

Our Expert Sebastian Tuttle

Sebastian Tuttle is the Director of Children's Services at Thrive Group, a not-for-profit early education provider operating across rural and regional Tasmania. With over a decade of experience in the sector, Sebastian has worked his way from outside school hours care educator to center leader, manager, and now director. Originally from far north Queensland and one of ten children, Sebastian's path to early childhood education began when he cared for his sister's children for six years after deciding against pursuing medicine. His unique background in anatomy and neuroscience, combined with his hands-on experience in remote service delivery, has shaped his innovative approach to early childhood education. Sebastian is passionate about community-driven solutions, workforce development, and ensuring quality education reaches Tasmania's most isolated families.

About Thrive Group

Thrive Group (formerly NCCN) is a not-for-profit early education provider committed to delivering high-quality early learning and outside school hours care services across rural and regional Tasmania. Operating services in some of Australia's most remote locations, including Flinders Island and Queenstown, Thrive Group utilizes a centralized business model that allows services to focus on children and families while head office manages compliance, administration, and support. The organization works closely with government, schools, councils, and community groups to establish and maintain vital childcare services in areas where commercial operators cannot sustain operations. Thrive Group's mission extends beyond service delivery to include workforce development, community partnership, and advocacy for early childhood education in rural and remote communities.

In this episode we cover:

- Delivering early education in remote Tasmanian communities
- Centralised models to support rural providers
- Addressing workforce gaps with local solutions
- Sustainable and future-ready regional services

In this episode, Jade Ingleby of Choklits Child Care shares her transformative approach to leadership in early childhood education, proving that everyone has the potential to lead regardless of their title or traditional role.

Our Expert Jade Ingleby

Jade Ingleby is the Co-owner of Choklits, a three-service early childhood education provider with 120 employees. With a background in banking and auditing, Jade made a career pivot nine years ago after being inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger's message about taking responsibility for your own happiness. Since then, she has built Choklits into a thriving organization that operates on five core pillars: growth, community, communication, reflection, and collaboration. Jade is passionate about empowering staff at all levels to become leaders and creating non-traditional career pathways within the early childhood sector.

About Choklits Child Care

Choklits operates three early childhood education services, starting with their flagship center in Ringwood located next to the Cadbury chocolate factory (hence the memorable name). The organization has grown from a rundown 52-place center with 12 employees to a thriving network of 120 staff members. Under Jade's leadership, Choklits has developed innovative programs including Plant to Plate gardening initiatives, Early Languages (Auslan) programs, messy play therapy, and sports programs called "Activate." The organization prioritizes community connection and believes in making every person's life better – whether they're staff, children, families, or community members.

In this episode, we cover:

- Empowering staff and leadership philosophy
- Problem-solving and team empowerment
- Creating opportunities and retention strategies
- Building community culture

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"You need to train your people so well that they can leave, but you need to build the culture that they want to stay."

In this episode, we speak with Joanne Oakman from Save Our Service to address the staffing crisis affecting the early childcare sector.

Our Expert Joanne Oakman

Joanne Oakman is a passionate and experienced early childhood education professional with over 20 years in the sector. From her beginnings as a room leader to leadership roles with KU Children’s Services, YMCA NSW, Only About Children, Oxanda Education, and now as Client Business Manager at Save Our Service, Joanne has worked across a range of settings including long day care and vacation care, in both not-for-profit and private organisations. Known for her ability to turn around struggling centres, she thrives on new challenges and is committed to delivering quality care and support to children, families, and educators. With a strong background in recruitment and operations, Joanne brings a people-first approach, combining empathy, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of the early learning landscape.

About Save Our Service

Save Our Service (SOS) is a leading Australian childcare recruitment agency, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Ryde, NSW. They provide seamless staffing solutions to childcare centres across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and WA, offering casual, permanent, part‑time, and emergency relief educators through their innovative app and online portal. With a “People First” philosophy, SOS prioritizes educator support—offering professional development, mentorship, and thorough vetting—to ensure high-caliber personnel who integrate smoothly into services. Their platform enables 24/7 shift management, rapid responses, online timesheets, and performance feedback tools for both educators and employers . Additionally, SOS engages in social responsibility initiatives, such as supporting The Infants’ Home and contributing to fundraising efforts.

In this episode we cover:

- Recruitment challenges in early childcare education
- Addressing educator burnout
- Flexible employment for educators
- Future of ECE: AI and workforce planning

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"Retention is key. Centres need to invest in their educators' well-being now to see long-term stability. I hope the sector shifts from being reactive to proactive—planning ahead instead of responding after the fact."

In this episode, Melissa Woodhouse of UTS Child Care Inc. (UTSCC) shares how her team’s “Pens Down January” experiment helped them move away from paperwork and rediscover the joy of play-based learning.

Our Expert Melissa Woodhouse

Melissa Woodhouse is the Head of Childcare at UTS Childcare Incorporated, bringing over 30 years of dedicated experience in early childhood education and care. Her journey began in the 1980s when she completed her diploma through the Triple C's in Randwick, starting as an educator in a toddler room at a community-based service in Bondi Junction.

Throughout her career, Melissa has worked across diverse settings including preschools, occasional care, long daycare services, and both private and not-for-profit organisations. Her progression from room leader to management roles, including a significant tenure with Liverpool Council in local government, reflects her natural ability to identify and nurture the strengths in others.

Melissa's passion lies in bringing out the best in people, particularly in supporting directors and educators to excel in their roles. Her reflective leadership style and commitment to evidence-based practice have made her a respected voice in the early childhood sector. She holds management qualifications and continues to be an active reader, researcher, and advocate for quality early childhood education.

About UTS Child Care Inc. (UTSCC) 

UTS Childcare Incorporated is a not-for-profit organisation that operates as a separate entity from the University of Technology Sydney, though maintains strong connections to the university community. For 35 years, the organization has been dedicated to providing quality, accessible, and affordable early education and care specifically for UTS students and staff.

Operating two long daycare services in Sydney's inner city, UTS Childcare is renowned in the sector for being a quality provider. The organisation's values include joy, and under Melissa's leadership, they have pioneered innovative approaches to reducing documentation burden while maintaining exceptional educational outcomes. Their recent establishment of a Children's Council as part of their governance structure demonstrates their commitment to embedding children's voices and rights in decision-making processes.

In this episode, we cover:

- Reducing documentation overload
- Reconnecting with purpose and joy
- Rethinking compliance
- Empowering educators and children

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"Compliance gives us the minimum standard, the framework to ensure that safety, equity, accountability is in place and children deserve access to compliant services... However, just being compliant isn't enough. The real opportunity lies in seeing that compliance is like the foundation and not the finish line."

In this episode, Melinda Ackerman of Niño Early Learning Adventures shares about positive education and what it means to implement it in a workplace setting.

Our Expert Melinda Ackerman

Melinda Ackerman is the Company Manager of Niño Early Learning Adventures, a premium multi-centre early education brand in Melbourne. With a career spanning from kindergarten teaching to senior centre management roles, Melinda brings extensive expertise in early childhood education and operational strategy. Holding a Diploma of Social Science and a Bachelor of Teaching, she continues to upskill in areas such as first aid, child protection, and HR programs. Known for her inventive leadership style, she collaborates with her teams to enhance the Niño ELA experience for children, parents, and local communities. Passionate about supporting educators’ well-being, Melinda is also a qualified Health & Wellness Coach and advocates for positive, sustainable workplaces. A former Vice President of FKA Children’s Services and a member of RMIT’s Steering Board Committee for the International Infant Transition Research Project, she is committed to advancing education quality and cultural inclusivity. Melinda’s vision is for Niño ELA to be recognized as Melbourne’s leading early education pathway, driven by innovative programs like the Positive Education Framework.

In this episode we cover:
- Ripple effect of positive practices
- The six domains of positive psychology
- Building trust in teams
- Embedding positive education in daily operations

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"Positive Psychology uses 6 domains which essentially is what people will utilise in their life to personal growth and to find happiness in these spaces. So that really resonated with us and we thought….’Wouldn’t it actually be great if we flip things a little to start to care for our teams first, which then has the on flow ripple effect…. That will essentially grow, teach and support our children on these life skills."

In this episode, Thomas McDade of Keydata shares his insights and strategies on how to make the lives of early childcare centre managers easier using technology and new systems.

Our Expert Thomas McDade

Thomas McDade, CEO of Keydata, is a seasoned executive dedicated to empowering businesses to advance and transform their data analytics capabilities. His approach centers on developing cohesive strategies, implementing enabling technologies, and using human-centric design to enhance execution. By focusing on maintaining both the conceptual and technical integrity of solutions, Thomas ensures that Keydata’s technology offerings are both streamlined and robust, aligning with the unique needs and goals of each client.

In this episode we cover:
- The role of technology in early learning
- Challenges faced by centre directors
- Evaluating software solutions
- Cost-benefit analysis of implementing new systems

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"The more that we can actually provision the right information, at the right time, available, trusted, on their PC in front of them, we can give them back availability. And by availability, I mean time, headspace."

In this episode, Katie O'Keeffe of KTO Leadership shares how mentors in early learning can help leaders recognise their unique potential.

Our Expert Katie O'Keeffe

Katie O'Keeffe is an experienced early childhood professional with over 30 years in the sector. She has a proven track record of helping early childhood managers develop the skills and confidence they need to excel in their roles and lead their teams effectively. Katie's mission is to mentor and inspire early childhood leaders to become 'wholehearted' leaders by developing their confidence and knowledge through practical insights and solutions to daily challenges. Her wholehearted approach to leadership emphasizes leading with truth, integrity, respect, kindness, authenticity, and empathy, where relationships are valued over results. By fostering professional relationships, she empowers early childhood professionals to navigate the complexities of their roles with clarity and confidence.

In this episode we cover:
- The importance of mentorship
- Nurturing yourself as a leader
- The ripple effect of leadership
- Creating a legacy in early learning

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"It's great to provide a space where we can connect and really dive deep into subjects and, you know, sometimes just put on a different lens and approach subjects a different way because I find that we're so busy that it's often we don't allow time because we've got so many hats to wear, so many things to do that we don't have, that we don't create that space where we can think, where we can reflect, where we can, you know, plan, where we can mentor our team."

In this episode, Aleisha Lensink of Catholic Early EdCare joins us to discuss finding the right balance between compliance and maintaining quality standards, ultimately leading a child-first approach in Early Education this 2025.

Our Expert Aleisha Lensink

Aleisha Lensink is the Head of Operational Efficiency at Catholic Early EdCare, bringing over 23 years of experience in childcare management. With a career spanning from educator roles to overseeing 130 services as a Business Systems Manager, she specializes in business intelligence tools, systems improvement, and large-scale project leadership. Aleisha excels in implementing software, hardware, and processes that enhance operational efficiency while leveraging data visualization to drive meaningful change. Passionate about best practices and continuous improvement, she is dedicated to optimizing systems that support quality education and care.

About Catholic Early EdCare 

Catholic Early EdCare is a Queensland-based early childhood education provider, operating over 130 services including long day care, kindergarten, and outside school hours care. Their programs are designed to support children's growth across various domains—social, individual, respectful, spiritual, creative, and confident development—through play-based learning and strong family partnerships. With a commitment to safeguarding and nurturing each child's potential, Catholic Early EdCare integrates contemporary early education research and practices to create environments where children can connect, grow, and discover.

In this episode we cover:

- Balancing documentation and engagement in education
- Technology's role in crisis management
- Evolution of the National Quality Framework
- Child-centered future

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"Documentation isn't just about compliance. It's also about making sure that you're documenting children's journey as well and engaging in that way and being able to share that with families."

In this episode, Vanessa Hextall of Junior Adventures Group Australia gives her insights on child safety in a post-COVID world, and balancing protection with new learning opportunities.

Our Expert Vanessa Hextall

Vanessa Hextall is the General Manager of Risk & Quality Service Development at Junior Adventures Group, with over 15 years of experience in education management, specializing in compliance, risk management, and multi-site leadership across Long Day Care, OSHC, and VET. Skilled in strategic planning and coaching, she is passionate about driving quality and innovation. Born and raised in Southwest Sydney with Argentinian heritage, she has a deep love for football and an energetic, problem-solving mindset. Outside of work, she enjoys watching her kids' soccer games, hiking, and jet skiing with family and friends.

About Junior Adventures Group

Junior Adventures Group (JAG) is a global leader in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC), dedicated to enriching children's lives beyond the classroom. Serving over 90,000 children across more than 1,000 partner schools worldwide, JAG offers programs that foster growth, learning, and joy, ensuring every child thrives in a nurturing environment. Their portfolio includes OSHClub, Helping Hands Network, Primary OSHCare, JAG UK, Sherpa Kids, and sKids NZ, each committed to delivering high-quality care and engaging experiences. With a passionate team and a global reach, JAG integrates the best educational practices to support each child in realizing their full potential.

In this episode we cover:

- The evolution of safeguarding post-COVID
- Challenges in child behaviour and social connections
- Balancing safety and risk in childcare
- Advice for aspiring educators

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"While safety is non-negotiable, we also need to acknowledge the critical role that risky play has in building resilience, problem-solving, skills, and confidence. The key is managed risk - not eliminating risk entirely, but ensuring that it's developmentally appropriate and properly supervised at the same time."

In this episode, Jay Barr of Sagewood Early Learning joins us to empower educators by helping them identify and align their strengths, fostering student success, teacher growth, and overall service satisfaction.

Our Expert Jay Barr

Jay Barr is a commercially focused HR leader and the Chief Operating Officer at Sagewood Early Learning. With extensive experience in strategic management and operations, Jay excels in leading organizational change, overseeing complex projects, and developing people-focused processes and talent strategies. His expertise in policy implementation, communication, and innovation drives business growth, fosters a positive workplace culture, and builds high-performing teams. A confident and results-driven leader, Jay is passionate about enhancing performance and creating lasting impact within organizations.

About Sagewood Early Learning 

Sagewood Early Learning is a group of boutique early learning centers in Perth, Australia, dedicated to nurturing each child's unique talents and gifts. Founded by an experienced team of passionate professionals within the Australian childcare industry, Sagewood has grown from a single vision to a network of six centers across the metropolitan area. Their philosophy centers on the values of nurture, love, and inspiration, aiming to provide children with the best start in life. Each center offers a warm, supportive environment where children feel safe, loved, and valued, fostering their growth and development. Sagewood's leadership team, including Chief Operating Officer Jay Barr and Executive Operations Manager Tara Henry, brings extensive experience and a personal commitment to supporting families and inspiring young learners. With locations in Canning Vale, Dayton, Joondalup, Success, Harrisdale, and Woodvale, Sagewood Early Learning is accessible to families across Perth.

In this episode we cover:

- 'Right people, right role' in early learning services
- Identifying unique strengths in staff members
- Aligning strengths with roles and responsibilities
- Navigating mismatches and challenges

A sneak peek inside the episode:

"I think sometimes we can get lost in the title of something, but ultimately we're all in this industry for the children - and we need our roles to create that foundation for children. But if you lose sight of wanting to be there for the children, then I think you've lost sight of the big picture. "