Innovative practice: deepening collaboration across early years Hubs

Published

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 - 8:47 AM

Since mid-2024, thirteen Hubs across Australia are working to amplify their impact through their involvement in The Connection, an innovative collaborative leadership development network run by The Smith Family. The Connection strategically brings together networks of like-minded leaders to tackle inequity and achieve better outcomes for everyone. Previously applied to schools and alternative education sites, these thirteen trailblazing Hubs are demonstrating the model’s application in the Early Years Hubs sector. The hub is being co-led by the Centre for Child Community Health (CCCH) at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), giving the group access to world leading experts and research in child health.

Read more about The Connection.

Hub leaders have been participating in a series of activities designed to encourage the free flow of ideas. By testing innovative ideas with colleagues, effective practices are much more quickly developed, tested and adopted, and change is smoother.

Hub Days, bringing together the thirteen Hub leaders, have been held both online, and with the opportunity to visit each other’s sites. Last year, leaders from South Australia and Queensland travelled to Gunnedah to Winanga-li Aboriginal Child and Family Centre. Hosts, Ash and Jess, shared how they embed Aboriginal culture and language into their delivery. Our attendees were inspired by the wrap around support used to engage families and support the diverse range of cultural background of children and families and the warm and responsive relationships between educators and children.

This month The Connection for Early Years Hubs held its biggest Hub Day yet online. Leaders worked collaboratively on some of the ‘wicked issues’ identified in previous conversations. These included measuring impact on children and families, supporting children's transition to school, sharing ownership and decision-making with families, strengthening integration of services and practice, and advocating for adequate funding to meet community needs. The feedback called out how useful it was to talk in smaller groups about some of these issues that Hubs are grappling with nationally.

The Connection for Early Years is looking to recruit its next group of pioneer leaders. The Connection provides a more intensive professional learning program with deeper relationship building and opportunities for advocacy, complementing the Network's online Community of Practice program.

If you would like to learn more please reach out to Lauren Heery (CCCH) or Erin Corbyn (The Smith Family).