We are a small, multi-cultural team, with educators from Australia and around the world.

Our educators have extensive experience in the sector, with most having been at Spence Children’s Cottage for more than five years, and some over 15 years.

All of our educators are passionate about forming and maintaining professional, trusting and caring relationships with each other, our children and our families.

Director: Anusha

Anusha is a passionate and dedicated early childhood educator with over nine years of experience in the sector. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities and Social Science, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Care, which has provided her with a strong foundation to support children’s learning and development.

For the past five years, Anusha has proudly worked with YWCA Canberra , where she has continued to grow professionally and contribute to the creation of meaningful learning environments for children. She truly enjoys being part of children’s learning and development journeys, supporting them as they explore, discover, and build confidence in their abilities.
Anusha believes that every child is unique and capable, and she is committed to creating a nurturing, inclusive, and engaging environment that supports curiosity, creativity, and independence. She works closely with her team and families, valuing the knowledge, experience, and strengths that each person brings. Building strong and respectful relationships is at the heart of her practice, ensuring every child feels safe, supported, and a strong sense of belonging.

We are a home-like, 25 place service with two indoor play spaces and a large outdoor play space. Our outdoor area is overhung by a beautiful flowering tree, providing a gorgeous place to play nestled in the suburb.

We spend a lot of time in the garden, especially with our garden bed and lots of DIY pots in the Cottage for children to experience planting. We have a focus on sustainability in our practice and our learning environment.

The educational setup of our service provides opportunities for children to engage in structured mixed-aged learning experiences.

Mixed-age learning and play has significant benefits for children. It allows siblings to interact and gives children opportunities to play and learn from those outside their age group. Older children develop supporting and nurturing behaviours, while the younger ones learn social skills and language, and develop further confidence.

Our routines are designed to progress alongside your child, giving them choice and flexibility, creating happy and calm environments for them to learn, grow and thrive.

Our educators’ relationships with children promote a feeling of belonging to the Cottage family. We provide opportunities for children to have fun while learning and developing to their full potential.

Our programs provide opportunities to foster all aspects of children’s development and gives opportunities for open-ended learning. We support play-based learning, developing children’s skills by focusing on their interests as well as their needs.

We have been part of the Spence community since 1974 and feel strongly about including the community in our practice. Most of our educators have been at the Cottage for many years and have developed a true community with their families.

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In 2022 YWCA Canberra’s Spence Children’s Cottage won one of the ACT’s Community Garden Grants to fund nine local projects.  

We received $2,228 for our Spence Community Garden, a little farm that we are growing fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers for children and families in Spence and nearby suburbs.