CELEBRATING CONNECTION, GROWTH AND THE POWER OF PLAY

I take this opportunity to welcome the children, families and educators from St Therese’s Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service. Thank you for welcoming Lady Gowrie Tasmania (LGT)’s team and for your patience during the transition phase. It is a fantastic OSHC service with a strong focus on children’s play and learning, and I know it will continue to thrive.

I would also like to take a moment to recognise and sincerely thank the incredible team at LGT who have supported the transition and warm welcome of St Therese’s OSHC service into our community. This has been a significant milestone, and it would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of many.

My heartfelt thanks go to our Education and Care Leadership Team, Cathleen Pickett (Service Manager), Rachel Knight (Educational Leader), our People and Culture Team and the Service Support Team. Your time, care and commitment have been instrumental in ensuring a smooth and positive transition for children, families and educators alike.

In July, I had the pleasure of joining our Service Managers in Launceston for two days of professional development and reflection. These Connection Days are a valuable opportunity for leaders across our education and care services to come together, share knowledge and explore how we can continue to adapt and lead through the evolving landscape of early childhood education.

Together, we reflected on the challenges and opportunities ahead, and how we can best support our teams to deliver high-quality, safe and inclusive outcomes for children and families. We are excited to extend this opportunity to our Assistant Managers in October, and I look forward to the insights and energy they will bring to these important conversations.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Caitlyn Eberhardt (Administrations Officer Education and Care) and Kate Warrener (Finance Business Partner) for their outstanding leadership and dedication in successfully rolling out Xap across our services. This has been a significant undertaking, and the commitment to ensuring a smooth and supportive transition for everyone has been truly commendable. Thanks also to Service Managers and Service Support Officers for your hard work in implementing the system in our services to support the provision of high-quality education and care.

At the heart of our work at Lady Gowrie Tasmania is a deep belief in the power of play. In our education and care settings, play is not just a way for children to pass the time, it is the foundation of learning, growth and wellbeing. Through play, children explore their world, test ideas, build relationships and develop essential life skills including creativity, communication, resilience and empathy. Whether they are constructing with blocks, engaging in imaginative storytelling or discovering the wonders of the natural world, children are learning in rich and meaningful ways.

Our educators thoughtfully plan and guide play-based experiences that support each child’s unique development. These moments of play help children build a strong sense of identity and belonging, while also supporting their emotional wellbeing and confidence. By nurturing play, we are laying the groundwork for lifelong learning and helping children thrive in every aspect of their development.

For families who are interested in learning more about the power of play and supporting children’s play at home, we have included some play resources and links in this newsletter.