↓ MEET THE SPEAKERS! ↓
FIRSTLY, YOUR HOST
VICTORIA EDMOND
Victoria is a dedicated advocate for FDC (Family Day Care) and utilises her extensive experience in the field to support and uplift educators. As an Approved Provider for the last decade and an LDC (Long Day Care) and FDC educator for over 15 years, she deeply understands the challenges faced by FDC educators on a daily basis.
Through her popular podcast, The Big Hearted Podcast, and her weekly live on Facebook and Instagram, The Big Heart to Heart, Victoria opens up from the depths of her heart every week to provide valuable insights and inspiration. Additionally, she offers a wide range of courses, Q&A sessions, and Masterclasses to educate and empower educators in the FDC community.
Victoria stands out for her innovative ideas, transparent approach, and ability to think outside the box. Her unwavering commitment to confronting both major and minor hurdles faced by FDC educators has earned her the admiration and support of many in the field. As a beloved champion for FDC, Victoria's tenacity and willingness to share her personal journey make her a trusted resource and ally in the FDC community.
DAY ONE
Kat & Kurt
Bushling Nature Play
Our backyard experiments in crafting toys from found objects quickly evolved into our Bushling business, driven by our children's enthusiasm and the educational value of nature-based play. Inspired by our connection to the natural world, we create resources showcasing Australia's flora and fauna.
With The Little Pocket Nature Play as our starting point, we've expanded into Bushling Nature Play, blending Kat's nature play expertise with Kurt's holistic health background. Together, we offer a program encouraging families to explore, create, and connect with nature.
Nicki Farrell
Wildlings Forest School
Nicki is committed to helping the next generation of children thrive by empowering educators to harness their passion for nature play to create the autonomy, learning and play opportunities that children NEED in this age of screens, strict schedules and over-structure.
Nicki's passions and expertise lie in Nature Play and Bush Kindy training for educators, creating community connections, ecological literacy, environmental protection and stewardship, and ensuring diversity and alternatives in our education systems to better prepare our children for an uncertain future.
Nicole Halton & Tash Treveton
Inspired EC / Inspired FDC
Tash Treveton and Nicole Halton are the co-founders of Inspired EC, an early childhood consultancy company established in 2008. In 2014 they gave into requests from educators and started Inspired Family Day Care - a family day care service which supports educators to provide programs that are nature based and embrace risky play.
Tash and Nic have worked together for over twenty years, and now spend their days speaking, supporting educators, developing resources, writing books and co-hosting podcasts. The Inspired EC mission is "changing the world for children".
Melissa de Castro
Melissa de Castro Consulting
Hi đź‘‹, my name is Melissa de Castro. I am a mother of 3 (fraternal 15 year old twins, female and male, and a 9 year old boy). I have been working in the field of early education as an Early Childhood Educator for nearly 20 years.
Throughout the years, I have led many learning environments that range in all ages/ developments. Earlier in my career, I taught at the School Board level as the Designated Early Childhood Educator. As an experienced educator, I have supported many children with exceptional needs/rights, led a team of educators, and owned a licensed childcare centre.
Claire Ward & Simone Pearson
Children of the Wilderness
Children of the wilderness is a sanctuary for children on the Gold Coast. After training students in childcare for 20 years Claire developed a connection with Simi while she was studying her diploma. Simi then became Claire’s family day care educator for her twins and took them into nature everyday. Claire and Simi then collaborated and in 2018 Wilderness was born 💚
Our days are a beautiful balance between inhale and exhale … coming together to craft and create then running down sand dunes while breathing in the ocean air. We are passionate eco warriors collecting rubbish, protecting creatures and connecting to country. We love to take risks, climbing trees, paddling and cooking on the fire and also doing intricate work with natural materials like finger knitting and wax lantern making. We run seasonal festivals with our families and our whale festival in August raises money for local charities. We have a strong focus on children’s social and emotional well-being and uninterrupted play is at the forefront of what we do. We run educator workshops annually, inspiring creativity with our seasonal songs and stories.
With over 30yrs experience in childcare we will be doing this until we are grey haired and wrinkly and hopefully still climbing trees 🌲
Dave Jereb
MoveAbout Therapy Services
Dave, co-founder of MoveAbout Therapy Services in 2008, is a seasoned paediatric OT with over 20 years of experience, mentor, and coach reshaping paediatric occupational therapy in Australia. His guiding principle, aligned with MoveAbout's ethos of "We support the people who support the kids," underscores his commitment to making a meaningful difference, fostering connections, and embracing lifelong learning in a playful manner.
Dave's dedication extends to ending burnout in early career OTs, nurturing their professional growth, and mentoring OT business owners, reflecting his holistic approach to uplifting the community. Alongside his wife Kathy, also an accomplished OT, Dave developed the MoveAbout Activity Cards and innovative workshops, showcasing their shared passion for continual learning and development.
From dynamic approaches to regulation and behavior to connecting with kids with ASD, Dave's workshops and presentations, including webinars and podcasts, demonstrate his thought leadership and commitment to creating a world where all children, regardless of differences, can thrive.
DAY TWO
Leanne Tran
Leanne Tran Psychology
Leanne is a registered psychologist who began her career working with children and families, and has loved it ever since.
Families see Leanne for assessments to understand Autism, ADHD, and Specific Learning Disorders, among other things. She has found that there are always people waiting to access support, especially in rural areas. As a result, Leanne provides online information for parents about what children need for development, how this can be adapted for kids developing differently, and practical implementation strategies.
Renee Worthington
Kingdom Kids Family Day Care
I'm a 46 year old, neurospicy, single mum who homeschools and runs a family day care service.
I've been operating for 4 years now and I actually enjoy planning and programming.
Stephanie Hoy
Little Creatures
This is my 8th year running Little Creatures FDC in Port Lincoln. I nannied and governessed to put myself through university, where I studied agriculture. I worked in rural NSW, Qld and NT for 15 years before moving to Brisbane and working as a Corporate Executive. We chose a seachange to Port Lincoln to be back with my in-laws and closer to my husband’s family.
I have always had a natural affinity with children; they are so much fun to be with. We have 5 grandkids living in Qld, and I have set up my FDC service to cater for school teachers so that we can take time in the school holidays to pop up and visit. One of the things I love about FDC is that you can make your service fit your family's needs and the lifestyle you want to live.
Emma Rattenbury
Emma Rattenbury Connections
With nearly two decades of experience in early childhood education, Emma is passionate about creating safe and responsive learning environments that guide children's behavior. She underscores the importance of ensuring educators' wellbeing, recognizing its impact on both their own future and the outcomes of young learners.
Currently pursuing a Masters in Child Play Therapy, Emma eagerly anticipates utilizing her expertise to support children, families, and educators in the classroom. Deeply connected to learning environments, she sees them as places where magic happens and support is crucial.
Known for her humor and commitment to fostering camaraderie among educators, Emma believes in the power of sharing valuable information and views early childhood education as a pivotal stage for making positive impacts in children's lives.
Kirsty McCormack
Bespoke Family Day Care
Kristy is a multifaceted professional with a diverse range of experiences across multiple professions. Her journey began in Pharmacy, where she cultivated a strong foundation in healthcare. Transitioning to become a Medic in the Royal Australian Navy showcased her adaptability and commitment to service. However, it was in Early Childhood Education where Kristy found her true passion.
Over fifteen years ago, she embarked on her first Family Day Care venture in Perth, embracing the Montessori style of education and dedicating herself to its principles.
Kristy's unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth is evident in her continuous pursuit of learning and self-reflection, enabling her to create dynamic and enriching learning environments for the children in her care. With her diverse experiences and fervent dedication to early childhood education, Kristy stands as an invaluable asset to the field, earning respect and trust among peers and families alike.
DAY THREE
Samantha Barrish
Bluebird Early Learning Cardiff
Sam is an Early Childhood Teacher who advocates fiercely for the Clever, Capable Child. She is passionate about providing opportunities for children to recognise their full potential.
She also recognises the value of slow, uninterrupted moments of play which allow children to understand and extend on their own abilities.
Samantha Folan
Mumfi's Munchkins FDC /Â Community Vision FDCS
My name is Sam, and I'm deeply committed to advocating for fairness in education and fostering inclusivity for children. With nine years of experience as an FDC Educator, I was honored as Educator of the Year for WA in 2015, and later as Coordinator of the Year for WA/SA in 2023, reflecting my unwavering dedication to optimal outcomes for both children and educators. Central to my philosophy is a belief in play-based learning, including the integration of risky play tailored to each child's developmental stage, alongside advocating for fair treatment of educators and empowering them to set boundaries.
As an Educational Leader, I collaborate closely with educators to simplify documentation processes while capturing meaningful interactions, and I passionately advocate for inclusive practices, particularly through professional development focused on neurodiversity, to better support children and families with diverse needs.
Ali Fleming
Thrive with Ali Fleming
With over 25 years of teaching experience in Australia and abroad, Ali has passionately supported children and families in diverse settings, from schools and kindergartens to homes and childcare centers. Holding a Bachelor of Education specialising in Early Childhood and a Diploma of Children’s Services, Ali's journey includes accolades such as being a Regional Winner in the Family Day Care Australia Excellence Awards 2021.
In her personalised approach, Ali seamlessly integrates the philosophy of 'learning through play' to connect with children on an individual level. She incorporates her deep understanding of developmental stages and sensory profiles, she collaborates with families and caregivers to plan interventions that foster holistic growth and development.
Sam McKoy
Spirited Mummas
Sam is a Certified Human Design Reader + Guide who works specifically with mothers + children in building connection and understanding within the home.
Sam discovered Human Design as a support tool for herself when she first entered motherhood and she quickly realised how this tool could too be applied to her children and help her understand them on an individual level. She believes firmly that no two children are the same and every child has different needs to be met, this should be taken into consideration when parenting each child and guiding them through play, development + self awareness. She helps mothers understand their children’s highest needs when it comes to their individual Human Design chart and how they support them to thrive through life. Â
Through her work, Sam demonstrates how Human Design can be applied to every area of your life as a single mother, homeschooling her two high energy children alongside her thriving business.
Leah Curtis
Elements Family Day Care
Hi, my name is Leah Curtis and I have had the pleasure of working with our children in their early years for many years now in a range of roles. I feel very fortunate to be working in Family Day Care, welcoming children and families into my home and working together to provide a space that fosters the magic of childhood and supports our little ones to learn and grow through play.Â
I've recently returned from The Sacred Urge to Play in New Zealand, where in a world that can so easily become about ticking boxes, we were reminded how important it is to play, laugh, connect and lead from our heart. Throughout the weekend we had inspiring mentors share with us their philosphy around creating meaningful rituals with children, honouring their biological urges within our environment, and embracing the beauty of slowing down and allowing children the space to lead their own learning through play in natural, open-ended settings.Â
I look forward to sharing some insights from a beautiful weekend of connection and exploring the Sacred Urge to play, as I believe they are importing in creating truly nurturing and empowering environments for our children to hold on to the magic of childhood.
