YWCA CANBERRA

Campbell Cottage

An early childhood service in the centre of the Campbell community

Vacancies available

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Overview

Campbell Cottage is a 66-place centre, nestled in the heart of the Campbell community. We provide education and care for children aged six weeks to five years.

Our program is child-led and child-focused. We regularly involve the children in our decision making, based on each child’s interests, strengths, needs and development.

We reflect each child’s interests in our learning spaces and embed their learning goals within the layout of the learning environment.

When you use any of our YWCA Canberra children’s services programs, you help to support our community activities such as our housing programs, community development, youth engagement, and education to prevent domestic and family violence.

Fees

Permanent Booking

$164.49 per session

Casual Booking

$168.01 per session

Quality Rating:

Issued March 2020

MP108120
MP108138
MP108151-HDR
MP108042
MP108085
MP108106
MP108112

All you need to know

Family testimonials

We love it here, both my kids have attended here and we were initially drawn to the big baby space and caring educators. Now my daughter is in the preschool room and the new playground is fantastic. There has been some staff turnover in the 3.5 years we have been here (but you would expect that anywhere) - we have always found the educators to be very caring, attentive and supportive of each other. Thank you Campbell Cottage team! ❤️
A very caring and professional childcare centre. My child has been here from 12 weeks to 5 and a half years old, and from Campbell Cottage Child Care she learned her numbers and letters and how to write her name before she started pre-school. We will be sad to leave.
Love having my daughter here. Educators are fantastic and the space is great!

An early childhood service in the centre of the Campbell community

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Waitlist Application Forms

If you would like to fill up on a Waitlist Application Form,
click on which Childhood Service you prefer.

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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