With childcare places in high demand in Kiama and surrounds, it would be easy for childcare centres to get complacent. At Dido Street Early Leaning Centre (ELC), however, they are going above and beyond to meet the needs of local children and their families.

In 2024, Dido Street ELC – an independent childcare centre owned and run by Kate McNaughton – will be establishing a range of new leadership roles within their team. This includes an Inclusion Officer, who will oversee support for children with additional needs, a Reconciliation Action Leader to ‘strengthen cultural competency’, and a Sustainability Leader who promotes appreciation for the environment. 

An existing team member will also be appointed as a ‘Munch-and-Move Leader’, overseeing the NSW Health initiative, Munch and Move, which aims to promote active play and healthy eating in children from birth to five years old. And a number of staff members will lead a new foreign language program, called ELLA, which gives preschoolers the chance to explore up to 13 languages. 

“Staff professional development is a key factor in our teaching,” says Kate McNaughton, owner and director of Dido Street ELC. “The leadership roles are designed to enhance our ability to provide personalised attention and support to each child. By delegating specific responsibilities to dedicated leaders, we can ensure that every child receives the individualised care and guidance they need to thrive.”

In September 2024, a new childcare centre, part of Little Zak’s Academy, will open in Kiama. The extra competition, however, is unlikely to be a concern for Kiama’s existing centres, who are inundated with requests from families to join their waiting list. 

Indeed, Kiama has been previously labelled as a ‘childcare desert’ in a report by research centre The Mitchell Institute — one of many locations across the State where child care access is scarce. It is worth noting that the problem is not confined to Kiama.

In January 2024, following an enquiry into the childcare industry, The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission called for more childcare support in regional and remote locations, with a focus on supporting children with disability, and culturally and linguistically diverse families.

It seems, Dido Street ELC are ticking all the boxes with their new initiatives. 

“The love for the job speaks volumes when it comes to centres wanting to go above and beyond,” says McNaughton. “This commitment stems from a genuine dedication and passion to providing children and their families with a nurturing and enriching environment.”

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