Led by CEO Kim Clifton, a former police officer with over two decades of experience running early learning centres, our values at Shared Beginnings Early Learning are deeply rooted in compliance, care and community.

Pillar one: compliance
“Compliance has always been a non-negotiable,” explains Kim, who spent 15 years in the police force and holds a deep knowledge of national legislation. This is why regulatory compliance forms the Shared Beginnings Early Learning bedrock. From room ratios to immediate child safety policies, we establish a comprehensive framework so parents can always feel confident about our centres.

Pillar two: care
True care, rather than being transactional, is about educators who are fully present. We look for the micro-moments of excellence, whether that means taking the time to truly see a child for who they are and cultivating a moment of play around their interests, or removing the admin load to allow educators to focus on the elements of the work that light them up - caring for and engaging with your kids. “We focus on the environment, creating home-like learning spaces so children never feel overwhelmed by cold, massive footprints,” Kim adds.

Pillar 3: community
One of the most important elements of building community in a centre is making sure we know our families, and that our families know us. We have an open-door policy and transparency is paramount. We believe that in the absence of open communication, misinformation can pop up to fill that vacuum - which is why regular, meaningful communication is important to us. Community also means ensuring we have the right people - those who are committed to creating the safest and most nurturing environment possible. “Some of our staff members have been with us for 16 years,” Kim says, “I truly believe that when you have the right people in place, community follows.”