"I believe relationships are foundational to successful learning outcomes for children.

Furthermore, play is important in shaping children into resilient, competent and curious individuals who will become positive role models and responsible citizens."

My qualifications and experience 

I have been in the Early Childhood sector for almost 20 years and have had experience working across long day care settings, preschools, community focused not for profit organisations, private and council services. 

I have taught in a Waldorf setting, which shaped me as a teacher and opened my mind to the magical world of story-telling, seasonal celebrations, songs, the arts, and imitation. 

I have also been fortunate to have crossed paths with some influential role models during my career and had the opportunity to represent CELA at the Department of Education headquarters in 2016, when I was managing a community based not for profit service.

What I'm most passionate about in my role 

I’m passionate about inclusion, advocacy, children’s rights and the creative arts. I always endeavour to incorporate these values in my teaching pedagogy.  

I believe relationships are foundational to successful learning outcomes for children. Furthermore, nature play, including rainy weather play, and risky play are important in shaping children into resilient, competent and curious individuals who will become positive role models and responsible citizens.

What I love about working with SDN 

There are some truly wonderful mentors within the SDN community. I am thrilled to have joined SDN in 2021 and I am looking forward to the journey ahead.

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 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 Child-led Educational program here.

Developed by university-trained early childhood teachers, our preschool program focuses on the whole child, building healthy bodies, caring hearts and curious minds.

We will draw on your child’s interests, strengths, needs and culture to plan and implement a program that best meets their learning and developmental needs.

The program is flexible and will give your child a voice in their learning and development. Your child will be our co-planner, sharing ideas and questions that drive their learning. Our preschool teachers will plan experiences for your child that focus on specific skills in an engaging and meaningful way to support their growing skills and knowledge.

We will immerse your child in a language-rich environment and support them to develop the skills and mindset they need for a successful start to school. Through planned play and learning experiences your child will develop the listening and social skills as well as a passion for learning with curiosity, enthusiasm, persistence, cooperation and focused attention they will need when they transition to school.

Our centres have a transition to school program where our educators work together with local kindergarten teachers and our preschool teachers attend transition to school meetings with local schools.

Read more about our Child-led Educational program here. 

Families in our urban based centres often call our outdoor areas their “green oasis”.

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.

These are just some of the reasons SDN invests in developing new, award-winning outdoor spaces with natural designs that inspire children’s curiosity, physical play, and social play.

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

SDN Redfern opened on 20 June 1938, following a request by a Child Welfare Department officer for SDN to provide services in the Alexandria-Redfern-Erskineville area, where many women worked in factories. The ‘Model Nursery Centre’ for children two years old to school-aged was gifted by Sydney woolbroker and philanthropist Mr J.P. Johnson and his wife. After the centre opened it was noted that the health of the children attending improved considerably.

Facilities for babies were added in 1941 and a brand new building opened in August 1980. SDN’s head office was located above the centre from 1982 until 2006. The Central and Eastern Sydney office of SDN Brighter Futures now operates from above the centre.

Since its beginnings, SDN Redfern has undergone many changes and has always maintained and reflected a strong connection with the families of this vibrant and diverse community.

Read more about SDN Redfern's history here. 

From 4 July 2022, our fees will be $158 per day for children under three years old and $143 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.

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)
• Drink Bottle
• Comforter – for rest time
• Blankets

3-5 Preschoolers  

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