YWCA CANBERRA

Early Childhood Services

Education for life starts here

At YWCA Canberra, we understand that the experience of childhood is a unique journey. Our role is to give children a sound foundation for their future learning and development by providing them with the skills and experiences needed to develop as lifelong learners and become competent, active and informed individuals. We achieve this by developing and creating rich, engaging play-based learning environments and activities as part of a gender-neutral curriculum that reflects children’s interests and allows for exploration.

We enable a sense of belonging in the children and families in our services through our safe, supportive, respectful and inclusive environment.

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Our Early Childhood Services

Campbell Cottage Service

  • 8 Savige Street, Campbell
  • 7.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
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Conder Early Childhood Service

  • 55 Beaumaris Street, Conder
  • 7.15am to 6.15pm, Monday to Friday
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Currawong Early Childhood Service

  • 41 Sydney Avenue, Barton
  • 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
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Fairley Early Childhood Service

  • 47 Rose Street, Murrumbateman
  • 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
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Spence Children’s Cottage

  • 19 Dalgleish Close, Spence
  • 7.45am to 5:45pm, Monday to Friday
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Winyu Early Childhood Service

  • 125 Gungahlin Place, Gungahlin
  • 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
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Reid Early Childhood Service

  • 27 Amaroo St, Reid
  • 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
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SPK Early Learning Service

  • 24 Macpherson St O’Connor
  • 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
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Our Professional Practice

Our educators uphold the professional standards and values of the Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics and the principles and practices of the National Quality Framework. Our educational programs are designed to promote children’s holistic development and are influenced by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Our ACT services are fully licensed, and assessed and rated by the ACT Government’s regulatory body, Children’s Education and Care Assurance (CECA). Our Fairley Early Childhood Service in Murrumbateman is licensed, assessed and rated by the NSW Government Early Childhood Education and Care Directorate (ECECD).

Our Centre Directors and educators participate in a wide variety of professional development and training to further extend their skills and knowledge.

Lifelong Learning

Many of our services are linked with local primary schools and YWCA Canberra before and after school care services nearby, providing continuity of care and an existing network for your child.

What we Offer

Meals

All of our early childhood services have a dedicated chef committed to providing children with nutritionally balanced meals using the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

We provide

  • Morning tea
  • Lunch
  • Afternoon tea
  • Late snack

All meals are prepared to take each child’s dietary requirements into account.

Nappies and Hygiene Supplies

All nappies, wipes, Sudocrem and sunscreen are provided. If your child has a sensitivity to Sudocrem or sunscreen, we may ask you to provide your own.

Educational Program

Our professional early childhood educators are committed to supporting each child’s individual learning and development. Our dedicated educational leaders and early childhood teachers actively drive the curriculum process, and design programs that reflect the needs of the children, their families and the community.

Our educational program is inspired by the children—their interests, their voices and their ideas—with a vision to develop lifelong learners. Twice a year, we provide families with a summative assessment of their child’s learning and interests, based on the five learning outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework.

We use Xplor as a platform to share educational documentation with our families. Through Xplor, you can see snapshots about your child’s day and what’s going on at the service.

Forms & Career

Waitlist forms

Currawong Childcare Centre

All other services

Enrolment forms

Campbell Cottage

Conder

Currawong

Fairley

Winyu

Spence

Direct Debit form 

Direct Debit form

Children’s Services Information Booklet 

Children’s Services Information Booklet

YWCA Canberra is a Registered Training Organisation, offering the Certificate III and Diploma qualifications in Early Childhood Education and Care.

A funded traineeship may be available in one of our services. Please contact the Centre Director to discuss recruitment opportunities.

If you would like to work for us, you can view our current vacancies here. 

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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