“One of the things I am passionate about is children being viewed as competent and capable individuals.” 

My qualifications and experience 

I hold a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) from University of Western Sydney, 1999. 

I started as a student doing my first prac at SDN Lois Barker, Waterloo in 1996. Staff at the time suggested I put my name on the SDN casual list and I would do casual work during my holidays. 

Once I finished my degree, I was offered a permanent position at SDN Paddington as an Early Childhood Teacher/Room Leader. During this time, I was second in charge and stepped up when the Centre Director was away.  

After returning from maternity leave in 2008 I started as the centre director at SDN Linthorpe St, Newtown, where I am currently. 

What I'm most passionate about in my role

One of the things I am passionate about is children being viewed as competent and capable individuals, especially children under the age of two. 

The role of an educator is to support their learning and allow children to develop at their own pace. There is no “one size fits all”. What I love about working with SDN 

I love working with a team that has a strong focus on relationships with children and their families. 

I also love that I can reach out for support when I need it from anyone in the organisation and especially within my community. 

A little bit more about me 

I spend my spare time with my family and friends. As a family we often have children’s weekend sports to attend and we also love seeing Sydney and taking road trips. 

Growing bodies need movement and exercise. Growing minds need stimulus and exploration. Growing hearts need opportunities to play and mix with others.

At SDN we know that the best thing we can do for your infant or toddler is to support them to grow and develop in safe, unhurried, nurturing and challenging environments.

Because infants and toddlers are naturally curious, our centres have well-equipped indoor and outdoor areas that will keep your child moving and give them daily opportunities to explore their limits and grow their abilities.

Your child is unique and so we will devise a learning and development program within our curriculum pillars, based on what we know about your child’s interests, learning and development. Because they will always be changing and growing, we consistently review the program to ensure we are keeping up with your child’s development, providing them with the best learning opportunities.

Read more about our practice with children here.

Get more than school-ready, get life-ready 

Getting school-ready is a journey. It begins with your child’s very first day at our welcoming early education and care centres and continues with our dedicated preschool program.

Developed by university-trained early childhood teachers, our preschool program focuses on the whole child. Children learn to make friends and work together, while gaining the skills and independence they need to thrive through the big transition to school.

Our preschool program follows an evidence-backed, play-based learning approach. Children have fun and follow their curiosity, while we weave in vital skills and learning outcomes.

SDN uses Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework to explore a diverse curriculum from science to social justice. Our days are predictable but flexible, blending structured and spontaneous learning, free play, movement and quiet time.

Our curriculum pillars are:

Our centres have a transition to school program where our teachers and educators work together with local schools to prepare your child for a smooth transition, and support families through the process.

Read more about our preschool program here.

SDN's outdoor spaces provide opportunities for children to enjoy themselves and have adventures. They’re safe environments for children to run, jump and yell, make mud cakes, and use their energy. Outdoor spaces provide more than physical benefits. Even though you may think that children only play outside to have fun, they're also improving their thinking, social, and emotional skills. When they’re playing outside, they’re inventing games, learning about the world at their own pace, and figuring out social customs like turn-taking.

SDN Linthorpe Street has a large outdoor space with lots of different play areas. This includes a sandpit that leads onto a creek and a creek bed with rock pool, a timber rope bridge, a grass mound, and an amphitheatre. The viewing windows in the fence, placed at various heights, are particularly popular as children can enjoy watching the trains whiz past. SDN Linthorpe Street's children also help to grow herbs and veggies in the centre's gardens.

The traditional owners of the Newtown area are the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.

SDN Linthorpe Street officially opened in Newtown in 1930. A need had long been recognised for a day nursery to serve the local working families living in crowded terraces in Sydney’s inner west. In 1929 SDN purchased 3 Linthorpe Street, originally a purpose-built home and surgery belonging to Dr McClelland. The building was in very good condition with a large garden and needed a few alterations to make it a day nursery.

In recent times, the Ngara Nanga Mai Gathering Room opened at SDN Linthorpe Street to provide a culturally safe space for SDN’s Aboriginal staff members, children and families. The site is also home to The Creation Snake, created by Gangari artist Kathryn Dodd Farrawell (Aunty Kathy).

SDN Linthorpe Street, Newtown has been providing quality early childhood education and child care for children for more than 80 years. Since its beginnings, the centre has reflected a strong connection with local families in a diverse community, and supported SDN's vision and commitment to enhance the wellbeing and development of all children.

Read more about SDN Linthorpe Street's history here.

From 1 January 2023, our fees will be $186 per day for children under three years old and $165 per day for children three years and over. 

The majority of families in our centres do not pay the full daily fee because they receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) from the government.

The subsidy you may receive through the CCS will depend on:

• Your combined family income
• The number of hours you work, study or participate in recognised volunteer work. This is called the ‘activity test’. If your child is in the year before school, if you are on a very low income, or if you are on parental leave, you will not have to pass the activity test to receive some CCS.

Your child will need to meet immunisation requirements and you will need to meet residency requirements to be eligible to receive the CCS.

Try our CCS estimator tool here.

You can also calculate what your out of pocket child care costs will be on the government’s child care subsidy calculator.

Additional Preschool fee relief

In addition, the NSW Government is providing up to $2110 in fee relief for preschool aged children who are enrolled in the preschool program at SDN Children’s Services from 2023.

If your child will be 4 on or before 31 July 2023, this additional funding could mean up to $40 a week in fee relief to your family, on top of the existing child care subsidy.

Read more about the NSW early years commitment. 

If you’ve read this information and you’re still unsure about what you’ll pay, please call us or book a centre tour. We’re happy to answer your questions.

0-2 Babies

• Change of clothes x2
• Hat – sun safe  
• Shoes and Socks
• Warm clothes / Jacket (for outside play)
• Shoes and Socks
• Comforter – soft toy/blanket/dummy
• Bottles and milk formula/breast milk
• Blanket / Cot sheets

2-3 Toddlers

• Spare underwear
• Change of clothes
• Hat – sun safe
• Shoes and Socks
• Warm clothes / Jacket (for outside play)
• Water Bottle
• Comforter – for rest time
• Sheets

3-5 Preschoolers  

• Spare underwear
• Change of clothes
• Hat – sun safe
• Shoes and Socks
• Warm clothes / Jacket (for outside play)
• Water Bottle
• Blankets