YWCA CANBERRA

Children's Education
and Care Services

Providing education and care for your child in the heart of the community

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Nurturing futures, not profits.

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Learn more about how safeguarding principles are embedded in the heart of what we do.

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About us

Find out more about mission and how we create learning environments where your child can thrive.

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Our Services

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Early Childhood Services

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School Age Care

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School Holiday Programs

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Providing secure learning and growth to over 5,000 children every year

97%

of parents agree that their child feels safe and supported at our services

93%

of parents found it easy to approach the staff with feedback and concerns

98%

of parents are satisfied with the quality of care that we provide

87%

of children attend 2 or more days on their regular scheduled booking

Rated 5 out of 5

We have been SO impressed with Winyu early childhood service. The staff have been so supportive in welcoming our boy and helping him feel settled and safe.

- YWCA Canberra Winyu Early Childhood Service Family

Rated 5 out of 5

We are delighted with this service. The staff are brilliant and genuinely care about the children and the family as a whole. We love the small size of the centre - it's like a family!

- YWCA Canberra Conder Early Childhood Service Family

Rated 5 out of 5

We love it here, both my kids have attended here. We have always found the educators to be very caring, attentive and supportive of each other. Thank you Campbell Cottage team!

- YWCA Canberra Campbell Cottage Family

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Careers with YWCA Canberra

YWCA Canberra is an equal opportunity employer. We value and support diversity in our workforce and encourage applications for the following vacancies from a wide range of people with a variety of life experiences. We specifically encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply.

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Chiara Will

Chiara Will is the Director of School Age Care at YWCA Canberra, bringing over 13 years of experience across the early learning and school age care settings. Throughout her career, she has been committed to creating high-quality programs that support children to feel safe, connected, and confident as they learn, play, and grow.

Passionate about child safety and wellbeing, Chiara believes every child has the right to experience environments that are nurturing, inclusive, and responsive to their individual needs. She is a strong advocate for continuity in children’s learning and development, recognising the importance of meaningful partnerships between families, schools, educators, and the broader community in supporting positive outcomes for children.

Chiara is equally passionate about developing and empowering educators. She is committed to mentoring teams, fostering reflective practice, and supporting ongoing professional growth to build confident and capable educators who can make a lasting difference in children’s lives.

Shane McAlpine

Shane is Director of Children’s Services (ECEC) at YWCA Canberra, overseeing eight early learning services with 24 years of experience in the early childhood sector. He brings an extensive understanding of education and care, current practices, and regulatory requirements, with a robust approach to developing high-quality practitioners. 

Shane supports the day-to-day operation of educational practices and curriculum across all our early learning centres, with quality and pedagogical practice at the forefront. He plays a critical role in providing escalation support and mentorship to centre directors and educators alike. 

His professional passions include children’s rights, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inclusion and teaching perspectives, and advocacy for the early childhood profession. He is an active representative on the ACT committee of Early Childhood Australia. 

As a father of two children who have experienced the early years system firsthand, Shane brings a deeply personal understanding of the challenges families face in balancing work and parenting. This perspective shapes his inclusive, stakeholder-centred approach to service delivery across every centre he works with. 

Katherine Hellwig

Katherine is the Executive Director of Children’s Services at YWCA Canberra, bringing over 23 years of extensive experience in delivering education and care in ACT and the surrounding areas of the city. Her career spans both not-for-profit and commercial providers, highlighting her versatile and adaptable nature. 

For over 11 years, Katherine has held an executive role within a not-for-profit organisation that experienced significant growth in its early education and care portfolio. Her responsibilities included managing programs and initiatives that fostered engagement within the local community. 

Katherine began her career as an educator, and this hands-on experience has given her a profound understanding of the critical role educators play in the lives of children and families. Her qualifications include an Advanced Diploma of Children’s Services, an Undergraduate Certificate in Service Management, and a Diploma of Leadership and Management. In 2018, Katherine was honoured with the Community for Children’s Award by the ACT Children’s Week Committee, recognising her dedication and impact on the community.  

Katherine is driven by a strong pedagogical belief that all children have the right to access quality early learning in their first five years of life. She focuses on delivering high-quality education and care in both early education and after school care programs, ensuring children receive the best start in life.  

Frances Crimmins

Frances Crimmins is the Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Canberra and has led the organisation since 2013, driving significant growth, high-quality integrated service delivery, and stronger corporate efficiency. Under her leadership, the non-profit organisation has become a courageous community advocate, ensuring the needs of vulnerable communities are seen, heard, and addressed locally and nationally. 

Frances brings a diverse background spanning the private and not-for-profit sectors across business, hospitality, healthcare, and community services. She remains a passionate advocate for policy initiatives addressing the root causes of women’s housing insecurity, homelessness, gender inequality, and gender-based violence. 

Frances also currently serves as Chair of Homelessness Australia and sits on the ACT Work Health Safety Advisory Council. Her former board roles include ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS), WESNET, the ACT Ministerial Advisory Committee for Women, and Co-Chair of Anti-Poverty Week in the ACT. 

Her leadership has been recognised with an Edna Ryan Award (2015), ACT Leader of the Year at the Australian Leadership Excellence Awards (2016), and selection into the inaugural Social Impact Leadership Australia (SILA) program (2021). Frances regularly represents YWCA Canberra at the United Nations Commission for the Status of Women in New York. 

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