Iris Education Qld

26/09/2026

There is nobody in the world who is unteachable. Sometimes, we simply need to change the way we connect, listen and create opportunities to learn.

Play opens the door to curiosity, creativity and connection. Active listening tells a child, “I see you. I hear you. You matter.” And being connected creates the safety and belonging that allow learning to flourish.

When we slow down, get curious and genuinely listen, we begin to understand what sits beneath behaviour, words and actions.

Every interaction is an opportunity to connect, discover strengths and create the conditions where learning becomes possible.

Find the access point to connect.

When the right people connect, children thrive.

24/09/2026

Never get tired of hearing Rita Pierson. Every Child needs a champion!

When the right people connect, children thrive.

23/09/2026

What if we designed our systems around what children and families actually need to thrive?

We’re supporting the message from Georgie Dent and The Parenthood that the pressures experienced by Australian families cannot simply be solved by asking individual parents to do more, cope better or somehow find more hours in the day.

Families need systems that recognise the realities of raising children and importantly, systems that understand what children need for healthy development.

From the earliest months of life, children’s brains are developing at extraordinary rates. Their experiences, relationships and environments are helping shape the foundations for language, emotional regulation, social connection, learning and wellbeing. The early years are not simply a preparation for “real” learning later, they are a critical period of development in their own right. At the centre of that development is relationship.

Children develop through responsive, predictable and caring relationships with the adults around them. A warm interaction, a comforting response, shared attention, conversation, play, reassurance and a trusted adult who notices and responds, these everyday experiences matter.

This is why supporting families cannot be separated from supporting children. When parents and carers are under sustained pressure from work, housing, cost of living, fragmented services or lack of access to early childhood education and care, the impact can reach well beyond the individual adult. It can affect the time, energy and capacity available for those precious everyday moments of connection.

At Iris Education QLD, we believe we need to keep asking:

What can we change together so families have the conditions they need to thrive — and children have the relationships they need to develop?

This is bigger than childcare.
It is bigger than parenting.
It is about the systems and communities that surround families.
Every child deserves an advocate — and every family deserves a community and system that helps make healthy development possible. When the right people connect, children thrive.

We welcome conversations that place children, relationships, families and connection at the heart of system design.

23/09/2026

What a wonderful example of turning evidence into resources that genuinely support children, families and communities. Congratulations Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), Story Box Library and Raising Children Network in the creation of books and stories that reflect a holistic understanding of children’s wellbeing, development and connection.
At Iris Education QLD, The Nest has also influenced the development of our 6 Foundations for Strengths-Based Community Practice, a practical framework that brings together the principles of The Nest, Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) domains and the National Quality Framework (NQF) Quality Areas. For us, this is about recognising that children don’t grow and thrive in isolation. Their wellbeing is shaped through relationships, culture, identity, belonging, learning, participation and the communities around them.
When we use strengths-based approaches, we shift the conversation from “what is wrong?” to “what is strong, what matters, and what can we build together?”

Congratulations to everyone involved in creating resources that help bring these ideas into everyday conversations with children, families and educators. 🌱🌈

When the right people connect, children thrive.

20/09/2026

Too often, the incredible work happening in early years centres can be viewed through a narrow lens, as care, supervision or preparation for school (a bugbear of mine).

🖼️What happens when we reframe the conversation?
🖼️ When we recognise educators as people who are actively shaping children’s development, relationships, learning and sense of belonging?
🖼️When we recognise that their influence extends beyond the child in front of them, into families, relationships, services and the wider community?

This is where I see such an important opportunity. Honouring early childhood educators means recognising the value they contribute to the whole community.

It means supporting educators to see the significance of what they already do, while also helping families, communities and decision-makers understand why their work matters.

I’m grateful for the work of FrameWorks Institute and their resources such as Fast Frames, which remind us that how we frame an issue can influence how people understand both the challenge and the possibilities for change. Important when we talk about educators in early years settings however particularly empowering when do reflective work with educators.

At Iris Education QLD, every child deserves an advocate. Perhaps part of that advocacy is changing the story we tell about the people who spend their days advocating for children.

The frame matters. The story matters. And the people within that story matter.

17/09/2026

I am excited to announce that I have completed my Graduate Certificate in Educational Neuroscience at CQUniversity! This program, which integrates education, psychology, and neuroscience, has significantly enhanced my understanding of quality pedagogy, the importance of nurturing relationships and t...

16/09/2026

Another opportunity to communicate and share your knowledge of EC industry.

🧮 The 2026 Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) National Workforce Census is now open.

The National Workforce Census (NWC) collects important information about Australia's ECEC workforce and helps inform policies and programs that support the sector.

We encourage CCS-approved provider or services, preschools and kindergartens to take part. This will make sure we get an accurate picture of the ECEC workforce.

If you haven't registered for the NWC yet, visit our website to get started. Your login code can be found in the email sent by the Social Research Centre.

You have until 11 December 2026 to complete the NWC.

☎️ Need help? Call the NWC helpline on 1800 800 996 or email [email protected]

08/09/2026

Think about the last time someone gave you feedback or made a request of you.

Imagine it coming from someone you trusted - someone you knew respected you, cared about you, understood you, and wanted you to do well.

Sit with that for a moment.

Now imagine the exact same words coming from someone who you felt didn’t really know you or care about you.

Someone you felt judged by, dismissed by, or unsafe with.

Now sit with that for a moment.

Do you feel the difference?

Kids are no different.

The things we say don’t land inside the context of our adult-ness, or our expertise.

They land inside the relationship.

This is why connection isn’t something we do before the real work.♥️

The relationship is the work.

26/08/2026

If you came to one of our screenings in 2025 or have managed to stream from home, you may like to continue the conversation. Connect with the SEEN The Film team for Seen Circle.