Linda Devlin Email & Phone Number

I worked with an agency as I wanted experience in other childcare centres and I was curious to see the way they operate and are run as I had only worked in the one centre in which I also had completed my work experience. I was keen to explore different centres to widen my knowledge and continue learning from educators.

This was my first full time position in the childcare industry. During this time, I gained broad experiences in all age groups within the centre; babies, toddlers and kinder children. I started as an assistant but wasn’t long till I was Room leader of the Toddler Room. At the age of 19 I assisted in running the centre whilst between Centre Managers. At the age of 2, I again assisted in running the centre when our Centre Manager went on Maternity leave. My role included continuing to be Room Leader of the Toddler Room, plus centre tours, rosters and payroll. I learnt a lot in the 3 years but after not having support to do all these roles and lack of assistance from the acting Centre Director, I decided I would explore what other centres were out there and moved on.

I have loved working at Goodstart Epping for the past 7 years, extending my knowledge in children’s development, assisting to run the centre and continuing my personal development. I started at Epping as a casual whilst waiting for my full-time position and contract start date. I was Room Leader of the Nursery room from 2018-2021 where I had many responsibilities including building great relationships with all children, families and educators, planning and programming and daily delegation of running the room. My Room Leader Responsibilities included:· -Great communication with all families, children and educators· -Parent/educator interviews· -Programming and planning cycle· -Room set up and experiences· -Delegation of daily and weekly tasks· -Ensuring cleanliness· -Ensuring all policies and procedures are followed· -Ensuring best practice· -Lead my team· -Role model· -Documentation· -Room meetings

I have learnt so much in my role as an Assistant Director, taking on more responsibilities including admin duties, rostering, performance management meetings with educators, compliance checks, running the centre in my director’s absence and maintaining the high-quality standards throughout the centre. I have also assisted other centres within the organisation, being asked by my area managers to fill in for other Centre Directors whilst on leave.

I worked full time at Gum Nut for 4 years. In this time, I continued developing my skills, learning more about sustainability and children’s safety as well as continuing to be team leader in both the Nursery Room and Toddler Room. I built beautiful bonds with the children as well as great connections with both educators and families, but after 4 years I left Gum Nut as I found the values of the centre manager had changed and therefore changed the way I felt about the centre, feeling I didn’t belong there anymore, leading me to make the decision to move on and leave.

I worked casually at Dimboola EL for a short period before fulfilling my full-time position at Gum Nut. Working with the children and educators at Dimboola EL gave me an insight into some of the challengers some children face behind closed doors, at home as we delt with DHS at times in regards to negative family situations for children in their home environment as well as their overall health and well-being. Dimboola also gave me experience in working in a brand-new centre and at the time, better knowledge of the EYLF as I assisted with their observations and planning when anyone needed assistance.

I worked casually for McArthur Agency for 8 months. Through my employment with McArthur, I attained a great volume of experience working in many different child care centres, many times working with children with special needs including autism and the like, learning different strategies educators had put in place to support each of these children. Through this, I have used my knowledge I learnt in future centres with children and enabled myself to be as competent in my work with children’s development as I can.