Leadership in early childhood education is complex, dynamic and often isolating — especially for educators stepping into new or evolving roles. Our 1-on-1 mentoring program provides personalised, role-specific support for early childhood professionals navigating the responsibilities of teaching, leading, or managing a service.
Designed for Early Childhood Teachers (ECTs), Room Leaders, Centre Directors, Area Managers and other emerging leaders, this mentoring is fully tailored to your current position, experience level and goals. Whether you're seeking help with team leadership, documentation, decision-making or your own confidence, you'll be paired with a mentor who understands your context and brings deep sector experience.
Unlike group coaching or generic professional development, our approach focuses entirely on you — your challenges, your growth, and your pathway forward. With access to mentors from a wide professional network including Directors, Educational Leaders, SRF facilitators and experienced area managers, we offer practical, real-world insights that make a measurable difference in day-to-day practice.
Mentoring sessions are flexible, confidential and available as one-off sessions or ongoing support. No two journeys are the same — and our support reflects that.
This mentoring service is designed for early childhood professionals who are stepping into leadership roles or seeking focused support to grow in their current position. It’s ideal for:
New or Provisionally Registered Early Childhood Teachers (ECTs): Build confidence in programming, pedagogy, compliance and educator leadership as you transition from study to practice.
Room Leaders: Strengthen your leadership presence, improve team communication, and manage the shift from peer to supervisor effectively.
New or Aspiring Centre Directors: Navigate centre management, staff supervision, compliance responsibilities and service leadership with guidance from experienced mentors.
Educational Leaders: Get support with leading curriculum and critical reflection across your team.
Area Managers or Nominated Supervisors: Access confidential guidance while balancing compliance, leadership and oversight across multiple services.
Experienced Educators Ready to Lead: Prepare for a leadership or management role with strategic mentoring that supports your next career move.
Whether you're navigating new responsibilities, managing a team for the first time, or looking to grow your professional impact, this mentoring is designed to meet you where you are, and help you move forward with clarity.
Every mentoring experience is tailored, but you can expect high-quality, professional support that focuses on your real-world needs in early childhood leadership.
Your 1-on-1 mentoring includes:
An experienced mentor matched to your role and goals: You’ll be paired with a mentor who understands your context — whether you’re teaching, leading a team, or managing a service.
60-minute personalised mentoring sessions: Delivered via Zoom or phone or even in person, with a focus on your current challenges, goals, and development needs.
Goal-setting and reflection: Mentors will support you in identifying priorities, unpacking challenges, and setting realistic, impactful goals for your practice.
Follow-up support: Receive brief post-session notes or resources to help you implement strategies in your workplace (where relevant).
Flexible session options: Choose from one-off sessions, short-term packages, or regular monthly mentoring — all tailored to your availability and learning pace.
A confidential, supportive space: Mentoring is a safe space to ask questions, test ideas, and build confidence without judgment.
This isn’t a course or a one-size-fits-all program. It’s practical, responsive professional support designed around you, with mentors who bring lived experience from roles across the early childhood education sector.
While both mentoring and coaching support professional growth, mentoring is typically more personalised and relational. In our 1-on-1 mentoring, you’re matched with a professional who brings lived experience from similar roles — such as a Director, Educational Leader, or Area Manager — and provides guidance, reflection and support tailored to your current position. Coaching often follows a structured program, whereas mentoring is flexible and based on your immediate needs, goals, and leadership journey.
Our mentors are highly experienced early childhood professionals drawn from across the sector. They include former and current Centre Directors, ECTs, Educational Leaders, SRF-approved facilitators, compliance advisors and leadership coaches. We carefully match you with a mentor whose background aligns with your role, goals and challenges, ensuring the support you receive is contextually relevant and practical.
Yes. In fact, mentoring is particularly valuable for provisionally registered Early Childhood Teachers. It can support your transition from study to practice, help you meet VIT or NESA expectations, and build your confidence in areas such as curriculum planning, relationships with colleagues and families, and documentation for compliance.
Absolutely. If you’ve recently become a Room Leader, Nominated Supervisor, or Centre Director, this mentoring can provide guidance on everything from supervising staff to managing difficult conversations, understanding your compliance responsibilities, or simply adjusting to the expectations of your new position.
Each session is tailored to you, but common focus areas include:
Leadership and management strategies
Staff supervision and communication
Pedagogical leadership and curriculum planning
Compliance and regulatory expectations under the NQF
Critical reflection and professional identity
Preparing for assessment and rating
Navigating workplace challenges with confidence
That’s entirely up to you. Some professionals book a single session for targeted support. Others choose a short series to work toward specific goals, or opt for ongoing monthly mentoring as part of their long-term development. We’ll help you decide what’s best based on your current situation and goals.
Yes. Many of our mentoring clients are looking to take the next step in their career — whether that’s moving into a leadership role, preparing for a director position, or transitioning into an area or regional management role. Mentors can help you map your pathway, build your confidence, and identify areas to strengthen as you grow professionally.
Yes. We offer mentoring tailored to Area Managers, Operations Managers, and those responsible for overseeing multiple services. These sessions can focus on compliance oversight, strategic planning, staff leadership, quality improvement planning, and managing complex teams.
While this service is not part of the SRF-approved coaching framework, it complements those supports and is often used alongside them. Our mentoring provides practical, real-time support for professionals looking to go beyond structured frameworks and focus on their unique needs. If you’re unsure about eligibility or overlap, get in touch and we’ll help you navigate the options.
Simply fill out the enquiry form on this page with some details about your current role, goals, and availability. We’ll be in touch to match you with a suitable mentor and book your first session. There’s no obligation to commit beyond the first session — the process is flexible and led by you.
Join us now and unlock a world of opportunities. Don’t wait – start your transformative journey today!
Making Education acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first people of the nation and the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and play. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and families and recognise their continuing connection to Culture, Land, Water, and Community and we pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging. Making Education celebrates and welcomes people from all cultures, religions, spiritualities, ages, genders, sexualities, bodies, abilities & backgrounds and will ensure that all children and their families will be supported to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights.
