Supporting Successful Transitions for Children

Whether your child is starting preschool, getting ready for primary school, or simply moving into a new classroom – these periods of transition are milestones that deserve to be celebrated and serve as an opportunity for you to guide your child’s development.  

With thoughtful strategies, families and educators can make these changes seamless for children, fostering both excitement and resilience. 

Tips to Support Transitions 

  • Talk openly with your child about what to expect, including new routines, educators, classmates, and activities. Use positive, reassuring language. 
  • If you know who the new educators or teachers will be, familiarise your child with their name and face to help build trust and comfort. 
  • Arrange visits to the new classroom to explore new environments and meet educators, easing anxiety through experience. 
  • Encourage your child to develop productive routines at home, such as dressing, managing belongings, and following schedules to instill a sense of responsibility within them. 
  • Introduce visual supports like schedules or ‘first-then’ boards to help your child anticipate changes. 
  • Let your child bring a familiar object (such as a favourite toy or comfort item) to their new environment for added reassurance. 
  • Embed calming transition activities like deep breathing, singing, or storytelling during change times. 
  • Maintain consistent daily routines to give children a sense of stability. 
  • Encourage social connections by facilitating playdates or small group introductions to future classmates. 

Partnering with Educators/Teachers  

  • Share information about your child’s strengths, interests, and needs with their new teachers or carers to tailor strategies for support. 
  • Attending orientation and transition events and ask educators about the transition plans they have in place. 
  • Request a copy of the daily routine if available.  
  • Keep open communication between home and your child’s new classroom or school to ensure continuity and emotional support. 

Through partnership, preparation, and positive relationships, families, educators and teachers can create a transition experience where the child feels secure, welcomed, and ready to embrace new opportunities. These collaborative efforts transform change into moments of growth, helping every child step forward with confidence and curiosity. 

Chiara Will

Chiara is Director of School Age Care at YWCA Canberra, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a diverse range of leadership and management experience across the Early Childhood Education sector. Having held roles from Administration Officer to Centre Director, she brings a holistic skill base and a strength in solution-based approaches to learning. 

Prior to joining YWCA Canberra, Chiara led a team of over 25 educators, driving policy development, professional training and development, and contributing to Quality Improvement, Sustainability, Reconciliation, and Strategic Inclusion Action Plans. 

In her current role, Chiara leads the strategic development of processes and systems that ensure high-quality, safe, and inclusive environments for children. She mentors and empowers managers, leaders, and educators to deliver best-practice programs aligned with regulatory standards, fosters strong stakeholder partnerships, and guides the Quality Support Team in managing compliance and quality assurance across services. 

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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