Ambrose School Age Care kick started 2025 by gathering over 300 educators and coordinators for two days of Professional Development. The conference featured collaborative sessions on authentic inclusion, cultural understanding, embedding Indigenous perspectives, supporting children’s development, fostering a positive team culture, and self-reflection.
CEO Anthony Goonan opened the conference by emphasising the value Ambrose places on continuous learning. He stated, “The Ambrose tagline is ‘Learning for Life,’ but it is much more than just the children doing the learning. Every single one of us has something to learn, and these two professional development days are just one demonstration of our commitment to your learning.”
This event was an opportunity for educators to reflect on their practices, embrace new strategies and have some fun! Achievements were celebrated through the presentation of awards, while team-building games, a lively photo booth, and a delightful lolly buffet added to the enjoyment of the event. Over the course of the two days, participants heard from a lineup of experienced and knowledgeable speakers:
- Marina Bailey, a registered psychologist and member of the Australian Psychological Society, shared her extensive knowledge on middle childhood development. She passionately discussed positive behaviour support and the importance of authentic inclusion.
- Kelly Oldfield, the director of Child Development and Behaviour Specialists, travelled all the way from Western Australia to discuss escalation and de-escalation strategies. Kelly’s enthusiastic approach and profound understanding of complex behavioural challenges inspired our educators, sharing skills to identify, understand, and modify challenging behaviours in children.
- Jessica Staines, the founder of the multiple award-winning Koori Curriculum, shared her expertise on embedding Aboriginal perspectives in Children’s services. This interactive workshop encouraged educators to actively participate and collaborate, empowering them to become more culturally aware and inclusive.
- Anthony Semann delivered a thought-provoking session on achieving quality as a team. His insights challenged our perspectives and encouraged collaborative efforts to enhance team performance and outcomes.
Ambrose is dedicated to fostering a culture of high-quality care, empowering our teams with the knowledge and resources to best support and communicate with our children, families, and each other.
"We are incredibly fortunate to do what we do. We have the privilege of working with children, supporting them, and being a part of their lives. We have the opportunity to make a significant impact on these children's lives, which is a tremendous responsibility," said Mabel Osei, School Age Care Senior Manager.
The Ambrose team is looking forward to the year ahead, with the opportunity to implement these valuable insights into the daily interactions with children and team members.
Are you looking for a workplace where you are respected and encouraged to grow?
Visit www.ambrose.org.au/careers
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